The Armenian soldiers, like the Persians, made a point of locating the head of the enemy’s army and to kill him. Medieval Armenian historian Pavstos Puzant reports a whole series of such tactics, killing 21 Persian commanders-in-chief in 21 consecutive victorious battles. Even if inflated, Puzant’s account demonstrates how much emphasis the Armenian military leaders put on specific tactics. Targeting the enemy’s commander-in-chief required credible intelligence in advance, especially since the commander-in-chief was always protected by elite bodyguards.

The Armenian soldiers, like the Persians, made a point of locating the head of the enemy’s army and to kill him. Medieval Armenian historian Pavstos Puzant reports a whole series of such tactics, killing 21 Persian commanders-in-chief in 21 consecutive victorious battles. Even if inflated, Puzant’s account demonstrates how much emphasis the Armenian military leaders put on specific tactics. Targeting the enemy’s commander-in-chief required credible intelligence in advance, especially since the commander-in-chief was always protected by elite bodyguards.