Information about Persian weaponry is scarce. Texts and pictures suggest that the spear served as their most common short-range weapon, and the bow their most common long-range weapon. For example, Darius described himself as a good bowman and spearman, and the daric, his gold coin that circulated widely up until the time of Alexander, shows a figure, apparently the king, using one or both of these weapons (Fig. 9.8). Additionally, the Persian guardsmen (apparently Immortals) shown in reliefs