of a horse’s back the cut of a machaira will serve you better than the thrust of a xiphos". The precise wording of Xenophon's description suggests the possibility that the kopis was regarded as a specific variant within a more general class, with the term makhaira denoting any single-edged cutting sword. Greek art shows Persian soldiers wielding the kopis or an axe rather than the straight-bladed Persian akinakes. It has been suggested that the yatagan, used in the Balkans and Anatolia during the Ottoman Period, was a direct descendant of the kopis. See also Makhaira Xiphos Khopesh Falcata Kukri References External links Illustration of Kopis in Ancient Greek Art Ancient Greek military terminology Ancient Greek military equipment Single-edged swords Ancient European swords