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Re-enactor as Roman cavalryman. Roman cavalry (Latin: equites Romani) refers to the horse-mounted forces of the Roman army throughout the regal, republican, and imperial eras. In the regal era, the Roman cavalry was a group of 300 soldiers called celeres, tasked with guarding the Kings of Rome. Later their numbers were doubled to 600, then ...
117–138 AD) that the first regular formations of Roman cataphractarii appear in the record. [8] However, the description by Josephus of heavily armoured, contus-armed Roman cavalry in 67 AD at the siege of Jotapata, during the reign of Vespasian, suggests that cataphracts may have been adopted by the Romans at an considerably earlier date. [9]
The first regiment of Roman cataphracts to appear in the archaeological record is the ala I Gallorum et Pannoniorum cataphractaria, attested in Pannonia in the early 2nd century. [157] Although Roman cataphracts were not new, they were far more numerous in the late army, with most regiments stationed in the East. [158]
This cavalry regiment was supposedly doubled in size to 600 men by King Tarquinius Priscus (conventional dates 616-578 BC). [29] That the cavalry was increased to 600 during the regal era is likely, as in the early Republic the cavalry fielded remained 600-strong (two legions with 300 horses each). [ 30 ]
Draconarius – Bearer of a cavalry standard. Decurion – Leader of a troop of cavalry (14-30 men). Often confused with decanus. Decanus – Leader of a contubernium (a legionary tent group of 8 men). Discens – Miles in training for an immunis position. Duplarius – A soldier issued double pay, such as an Optio or a minor cavalry officer as ...
Cavalry formed about one-third of the units, but as a result of smaller units, about one-quarter of the Roman armies consisted of cavalry. About half the cavalry consisted of heavy cavalry (including the stablesiani). They were armed with spear or lance and sword and armored in mail.
The Imperial Roman Army was the military land force of the Roman Empire from 27 BC to 476 AD, [1] and the final incarnation in the long history of the Roman army. This period is sometimes split into the Principate (27 BC – 284 AD) and the Dominate (284–476) periods.
The term sagittariorum in the title of an infantry or cavalry unit indicated a specialized archer regiment. [1] Regular auxiliary units of foot and horse archers appeared in the Roman army during the early empire. [2] During the Principate roughly two thirds of all archers were on foot and one third were horse archers. [2]