Roman Heavy Cavalry (1)

Author: Raffaele D’Amato
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472830032
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 65

Book Description
From the army of Marc Antony in the 1st century BC, Roman generals hired Oriental heavy armoured cavalry to serve in their military alongside the legions. These troops, both from the northern steppes and the Persian frontiers, continued an ancient tradition of using heavy armour and long lances, and fought in a compact formation for maximum shock effect. They were quite distinct from conventional Roman light cavalry, and they served across the Empire, including in Britain. They became ever more important during the 3rd century wars against Parthia, both to counter their cavalry and to form a mobile strategic reserve. Displaying these impressive and imposing cavalry units using vivid specially commissioned artwork, this first book in a two part series on Roman Heavy Cavalry examines their use over the Imperial period up to the fall of Western Empire in the 5th century A.D.

Roman Heavy Cavalry (1)

Author: Raffaele D’Amato
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472830024
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 65

Roman Heavy Cavalry (2)

Author: Andrei Evgenevich Negin
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 147283948X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 65

Book Description
In the twilight of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th–6th centuries, the elite of the field armies was the heavy armoured cavalry – the cataphracts, clad in lamellar, scale, mail and padded fabric armour. After the fall of the West, the Greek-speaking Eastern or Byzantine Empire survived for nearly a thousand years, and cavalry remained predominant in its armies, with the heaviest armoured regiments continuing to provide the ultimate shock-force in battle. Accounts from Muslim chroniclers show that the ironclad cataphract on his armoured horse was an awe-inspiring enemy: '...they advanced against you, iron-covered – one would have said that they advanced on horses which seemed to have no legs'. This new study, replete with stunning full-colour illustrations of the various units, offers an engaging insight into the fearsome heavy cavalry units that battled against the enemies of Rome's Eastern Empire.

Roman Heavy Cavalry (1)

Author: Raffaele D’Amato
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472830040
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 65

Book Description
The history of the armored heavy cavalry that was absorbed into Roman service from the steppe peoples they defeated in the 2nd Century AD, and that came to provide half Rome's cavalry during the Late Empire.

Roman Heavy Cavalry (2)

Author: Andrei Negin
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472839501
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 65

Book Description
Following Roman Heavy Cavalry (1) on the earlier centuries, this book explains and illustrates the armor, weapons, organization, and deployment of elite heavy armored cavalry units during their long history in the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire. In the twilight of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th–6th centuries, the elite of the field armies was the heavy armored cavalry–the cataphracts, clad in lamellar, scale, mail, and padded fabric armor. After the fall of the West, the Greek-speaking Eastern or Byzantine Empire survived for nearly a thousand years, and cavalry remained predominant in its armies, with the heaviest armored regiments continuing to provide the ultimate shock-force in battle. Accounts from Muslim chroniclers show that the ironclad cataphract on his armored horse was an awe-inspiring enemy: “...they advanced against you, iron-covered–one would have said that they advanced on horses which seemed to have no legs.” The heavy units included the regiments of the Tagmata (the central imperial force based around Constantinople)–the Scholai, Eskoubitoi, Athanatoi (or Vighla) and Ikanatoi–and also provincial units raised from the populations of the Themata or army corps districts throughout the Empire. By the 11th century the latter were increasingly being replaced with mercenaries, as provincial governors became semi-independent and often rebellious warlords. This disunity contributed to the Empire's disastrous defeat by the Turks at Manzikert in 1071; thereafter the shrunken Empire relied even more heavily on cavalry, since its field armies had to be mobile to meet the many threats to the frontiers. This new study, replete with stunning full-color illustrations of the various units, offers an engaging insight into the fearsome heavy cavalry units that battled against the enemies of Rome's Eastern Empire.

Cataphracts

Author: Erich B Anderson
Publisher: Grub Street Publishers
ISBN: 147388957X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 271

Book Description
A deeply researched and page-turning history of armored cavalry in the ancient world from the Eurasian steppe tribes to the late Byzantine Empire. Cataphracts were the most heavily armored form of cavalry in the ancient civilizations of the East, with riders and horses both clad in heavy armor. Originating among the wealthiest nobles of various central Asian steppe tribes such as the Massagetae and Scythians, the traditions and strategies of these proud warriors were adopted and adapted by several major empires—the Achaemenid Persians, Seleucids, Sassanians, and eventually the Romans and their Byzantine successors—from c. 4000 BCE to 1200 CE. Usually armed with long lances, the cataphracts harnessed the mobility and sheer mass of their horses to the durability and solid fighting power of the spear-armed phalanx. Although very expensive to equip and maintain, they were a powerful force in battle and remained in use for many centuries. In this compelling historical survey, Erich B. Anderson assesses the development, equipment, tactics, and combat record of cataphracts and the similar clibinarii, showing also how enemies sought to counter them. This is a valuable study of one of the most interesting weapon systems of the ancient world. “A valuable study of one of the most interesting troop types of the ancient world.” —The Armourer “The first comprehensive survey of heavy armored cavalry . . . that played a particularly important role in the military history of Late Antiquity . . . This is a good survey of the history of heavy cavalry in the ancient world, covering arms, equipment, organization, tactics, and battles.” —The NYMAS Review

Roman Centurions 31 BC–AD 500

Author: Raffaele D’Amato
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1780960395
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 129

Book Description
In the years between 31 BC and AD 500 the Romans carved out a mighty empire stretching from Britain to the deserts of North Africa. The men who spearheaded this expansion were the centurions, the tough, professional warriors who led from the front, exerted savage discipline and provided a role model for the legionaries under their command. This book, the second volume of a two-part study, reveals the appearance, weaponry, role and impact of these legendary soldiers during the five centuries that saw the Roman Empire reach its greatest geographical extent under Trajan and Hadrian, only to experience a long decline in the West in the face of sustained pressure from its 'barbarian' neighbours. Featuring spectacular full-colour artwork, written by an authority on the army of the Caesars and informed by a wide range of sculptural, written and pictorial evidence from right across the Roman world, this book overturns established wisdom and sheds new light on Rome's most famous soldiers during the best-known era in its history.

Late Roman Cavalryman AD 236–565

Author: Simon MacDowall
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
ISBN: 9781855325678
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
The twilight of the Roman Empire saw a revolution in the way war was waged. The drilled infantryman, who had been the mainstay of Mediterranean armies since the days of the Greek hoplite, was gradually replaced by the mounted warrior. This change did not take place overnight, and in the 3rd and 4th centuries the role of the cavalryman was primarily to support the infantry. However, by the time of the 6th century, the situation had been completely reversed. Late Roman Cavalryman gives a full account of the changing experience of the mounted soldiers who defended Rome's withering western empire.

Cavalry from Hoof to Track

Author: Roman Jarymowycz
Publisher: Stackpole Books
ISBN: 0811750930
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 570

Book Description
History of cavalry from horses to tanks and helicopters.

Cataphracti and Clibanarii

Author: Mariusz Mielczarek
Publisher: Archeobooks
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 162

Book Description
A fully documented study of the heavy armoured cavalry of the ancient world. The author reviews the ancient sources, discusses the tactics involved in the use of such cavalry, and then describes the arms and armour as used by the Parthians and Sassanians, the Seleucids, the Romans and Palmyrenes. An appendix considers also the Samaritan and Bosporan cavalry.