I was told if it weren't for guns, the Persian army would have been the best [ancient] army because they had the best swordsmen and best archers. Was there any truth to this? I recall learning Persians had the best craftsmanship of swords and Romans recounting their excellent archers, but unable to find a source just things I've heard.
Just to be clear, are you referring to the armies of the Achaemenid Persian empire (the one that fought the Greeks), the Parthians (that fought the Romans), the Sassanids (that fought the Byzantine Empire), or later Muslim Iranian dynasties?