>>/34379/
> short sword
True. They know spata too, but I think that was the sword of the cavalry.
> Which allowed their formations more flexible
I'm not sure that was the reason.
> stirrup wasnt much used
Yeah, first rigid (metal) stirrups were brought into Europe by the Avars. Textile/rope stirrups were used by steppe people for who knows how long, but I dunno their usefulness. In other cultures, I dunno.