Rome also faced periodic threats from central Asiatic nomadic tribes. They were often underestimated by the Romans because they were small in stature and rarely had armor, however they proved some of Romes most deadly enemies. They fought almost entirely from horseback and their horses had a famous endurance that allowed them to move at an rate that was unbelievable for the time. They also had powerful composite bows as well as unconventional weapons like lassos which allowed them to surprise the Romans and get the edge in battle. However, they lacked experience in engineering and siege equipment so they could plunder the countryside but rarely take major walled cities.