What was the role of the cavalry in the Persian army?

Far from being a primitive military force who conquered by sheer force of numbers and brute force, the Achaemenid Persian army had specialised units which were professionally trained and fully kitted. A case in point is the cavalry which consisted of chariots, camels and horses, men were recruited from particular parts of the empire where they had extensive experiences with camels or horses. Achaemenid Persian military leaders employed a range of tactics that gave their cavalry the advantage in battle. This source-based homework task is designed for students of the NSW Ancient History Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum.

Higher School Certificate course
Historical Periods
Option D: Persia - Cyrus II to the death of Darius III

It can also be used as part of:
Historical Societies
Option D: Persia in the time of Darius II and Xerxes