I'm painting some Arab camelry for my Seleucids (who, incomplete as they are, narrowly beat the Romans today, but that's a subject for another post and some pictures); got a pretty mix of Pendraken and Magister Militum figures. Question: the MM figures are riding astride, like horse riders, whereas the Pendraken chaps are perching precariously atop their mounts with legs forward, as if in a recliner chair. This latter pose is the one I've seen most often in pictures, but these have been much later than Hellenistic times. Does anyone have any relevant information about whether there was a shift at some time, or whether it's regional, or a matter of personal preference, or careless modelling? I have seen the relevant Assyrian reliefs.
Don't know if it helps but when I went camel riding in the Sahara in Tunisia the sitting position was astride. I wouldn't bet on it not changing over the centuries.
Doesn't it depend on what they're armed with? If you have to swing a sword you'd want to be astride, otherwise you're overboard at the end of the swing. I suspect the "armchair" style is more comfortable over long distances, though.
For the record, the jocks on the racing camels in Dubai sit astride, well back aft of the hump.
(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSELqzTu3zUT9pfa6_jya5GeEF0hCXPSthCr6rWjiX2okAlim_N)
Over the years I have looked at people's holiday snaps and commented on the fact that tourists are almost inevitably shown in "horse riding" posture while most locals are in "armchair" mode. My assumption has been similar to Hertsblue's, that horse style gives a more solid seat and armchair a more comfortable one.
Perhaps veteran camel units should ride armchair style and green units horse style :)
Thanks, all.
Have a look at pictures of the Camel Corps from WW1 they show a few different sitting positions