Eastern Roman Empire Troop types?

[Goffredo]

Hi<br>
I just tried to link them and both are visible to me.<br>
Strange.<br>
<p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Salve<br>
<br>
There is an in depth discussion of late Roman and Byzantine arms and armour in 'A Companion to Medieval Arms and Armour', ed. David Nicolle. Jon Coulson writes about the later Roman Empire, while there are substantial contributions on the early, middle and later Byzantine Empire from John Haldon, Tim Dawson, and Andrea Babuin. These include line drawing and photographs of reconstructions. There are additional discussions about other Eastern European and Abbasid traditions as well. Well worth buying.<br>
<br>
Vale<br>
<br>
Celer. <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Below is a list of troop types and units based in part on contemporary military manuals:<br>
<br>
Organisation<br>
<br>
A.&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Infantry<br>
<br>
1.&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Praecepta Militaria (army fighting against Arabs)<br>
<br>
Infantry are formed in Taxies of 1000 men each (taxis). The unit consists of 400 spearmen (kontaratoi), 300 archers (psiloi), 200 slingers (sphendonitai) and/or javelinmen (akontistai), and 100 monoaulatoi.<br>
<br>
2.&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Sylloge Tacticorum (philosophical or idealised view written about 950 AD)<br>
<br>
Infantry are divided into hoplites, peltastoi (archaic troop type) and psiloi organised into taxiarchy of 1000 men each. Alternate name chilliarchy with commander called chilliarch. Similar use of spearmen, archers and slingers/javelinmen in seven rank or ten rank formations.<br>
<br>
3.&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Liber de re Militari<br>
<br>
Infantry are formed into taxis of 500 spearmen, 300 archers and 200 javelinmen with no monoaulatoi.<br>
<br>
Spearmen (aka kontaratoi, hoplites, skoutatoi, (aspidyphors--shield-bearers))<br>
- armed with spear of 15 to 18 ft (4.5 to 5.4 metres), sword and shield (3.5 ft diameter), and sling<br>
- wore thick textile armour (kabadia) and metal helmet<br>
- Sylloge adds metal armour with arm and leg protection for some troops, and shield is almond shape and 54 inches long<br>
- shield could be rectangular or triangular (Sylloge)<br>
- caltrops (trivolia) are mentioned in Sylloge, used only to protect camps but Byzantine cavalry were known to face this threat on the battle field from Arabs<br>
<br>
Archers/Slingers (psiloi/sphendonitai)<br>
- unarmoured and carried bow, sling, swords and axes<br>
- could also have small shield (cheroskouta)<br>
- crossbows (tzaggra) used for sieges only<br>
<br>
Javelinmen (akontistai)<br>
<br>
Peltastoi<br>
- wore similar armour as spearmen<br>
- armed with javelins (Sylloge adds spear)<br>
- may be only an academic troop type although Anna Komnena uses the word to describe infantry in late 11th Century<br>
<br>
Monaulatoi<br>
- only mentioned in Praecepta and De Veliatione Bellica<br>
- weapon was similar to a heavy spear designed for thrusting not throwing<br>
- used in front of spearmen or grouped with javelinmen<br>
<br>
Formations<br>
<br>
- normally formed in units 7-10 ranks deep with each rank of 100 men, Sylloge mentions ancient practice of 16 rank formation and other manuals suggest the same but still refer to 16 deep formations<br>
- normal division was 525 spearmen supported by 175 archers with remainder of unit as flank support (3:1 ratio of spears to bows)<br>
- many of the formations dated from 6th Century and based on older manuals (mainly Greek)<br>
- a single rank of monaulatoi, then two ranks of spear, then three of archers and finally two of spear called amphistomos in Sylloge<br>
- alternate Sylloge formation has four ranks of spearmen, then three of archers and finally four more of spearmen, was called antistomos<br>
- against cavalry, another rank of spear moved in front of archers<br>
<br>
B.&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Cavalry<br>
<br>
1.&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Praecepta<br>
<br>
Kataphractoi Kabalarioi<br>
<br>
Heavily armoured cavalry formed into units of 384 or 504, and normally only one or two units used by the army. Single unit usually deployed in centre of first battle line, while two units could be used on flanks. Fully armoured with textile and metal armour on fully armoured horses wearing textile armour (kentukla) or bull hide (klibania). Armed with spear (kontaria), swords (spathia), sabres (parameria), maces (sidirorabdia) and shield (32-inch diameter). Supported by archers (toxotai) and javelinmen (akontistai). The archers wore only torso armour and helmets and rode unarmoured horses and armed only with bows, totalling one-quarter of the unit. The javelinmen were similar to the spearmen (lancers). These formed the interior of the unit and supported the spearmen with missile fire. The object was to drive through the enemy towards the opposing commander.<br>
<br>
Kabalarioi<br>
<br>
The more common cavalry of the Tagmatic and Thematic units were the kabalarioi. They were either spearmen (kontaratoi) or achers (toxotai) organised in separate sub-units of 50 (allagion) with ten sub-units forming a 500-man unit (tagma or bandon). The normal formation was five ranks, each of two banda (100 men), with ranks one, two and five being spearmen and three and four being archers (3:2 ratio). Unit size could vary from about 300 to 500. Sylloge states 125 were archers and 375 were spearmen and first, second, and part of the third and fifth ranks were spearmen with remainder archers (3:1 ratio).<br>
<br>
The spearmen were armed with spear and shield and rode unarmoured horses. The archers had bows and shield. Archers could substitute javelins for bows. All carried swords and maces.<br>
<br>
Sylloge divides the kabalarioi into defensores (defenders) and cursores (raiders). The former were the majority troop type. The latter were used as vanguard and flankers with a varying mix of spearmen and archers. These terms were not used in Praecepta and may have become archaic by the mid-10th Century.<br>
<br>
Prokouratores<br>
Formed the advance guard in battle, mainly spearmen in open order and about 300-500 men (one badon/tagma). Rallied behind kataphractoi in two sub-units of up to 250 on either rear flank of kataphractoi.<br>
<br>
Hyperkerastai<br>
Used as outflankers on the wings of the main battle line, mainly archers and up to 200 on each flank (one bandon/tagma).<br>
<br>
Trapezitae (aka tasinakia (Armenian word), monozonai and chosarioi=hussar)<br>
Light cavalry used as scouts and spies. Normally considered bandits or highwaymen. These were to be sent out to patrol ahead of an army. Known as trapezitae in the east and chosarioi in the west. Monozonai means robber or bandit. PM has the Prokouratores formed from these troops.<br>
<br>
Akritai<br>
Cavalry of the border themes and klissourai (mountain passes). A distinct name for regional forces but not a troop type, as they were kabalarioi. Most famous one was Grivas Digheni about whom many stories were told, mainly very exaggerated.<br>
<br>
<br>
Central Army<br>
<br>
Imperial Guard (400 men - inner guard)<br>
Hetereia (companions in Greek same word used for Macedonian guard)<br>
- Great Hetereia (200 men)<br>
- Middle hetereia (200 men)<br>
- Little Hetereia (200 Khazars and 200 Turks (of Ferghana aka Pharangoi)<br>
Tagmata<br>
- Scholae (formed by Constantine the Great-4th Century) -- 4-6000<br>
- Excubitoi (formed by Leo-5th century) -- 4-6000<br>
- Ikanatoi or Hicanati (8th Century) -- 4000<br>
- Arithmos of the Watch (Vigla) aka Numeri -- 4000<br>
- Immortals aka Athanatoi<br>
Varangians (Rus Druzhina) -- 6000 foot<br>
Numera aka Numerii - garrison of the inner walls of Constantinople -- 2000 foot<br>
“Wallsâ€ÂÂ

[Anonymous]

Thanks alot guys! <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

nice wall-painting, huh? (from the 10th century)<br>
home.arcor.de/berzelmayr/...thenon.jpg<br>
<p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Yes it is. Very detailed and in surprisingly good condition. <p></p><i></i>

[Robert Vermaat]

I saw that one before. It's a soldier-saint, isn't it?<br>
I love those details of his sword and armour (and how the <em>pturiges</em> on his arm 'stick' to his tunic!).<br>
<br>
Valete,<br>
Valerius/Robert <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=vortigernstudies>Vortigern Studies</A> at: 10/11/04 8:05 am<br></i>

[Felix]

One type of soldier mentioned above has puzzled me for some time. Nikephoras Phocas and Nikephoras Ouranos (both found in McGeer's book) both mention the heavy infantry called monaulatoi. (McGeer transcribes their particular weapon as menavlion / menaulion.)<br>
<br>
This weapon is not described in detail, but Phocas specifically recommends that it have a thick, stout shaft. These troops were deployed in front of the main infantry mass (per Phocas), and amid the spearmen per Ouranos. The weapon is normally taken to be a heavy spear.<br>
<br>
Does anyone have further information, or even better, a picture that could possibly correspond to this weapon? It has occurred to me that this could be something more along the line of a polearm like a halberd. The thickness of a spear is rarely discussed, as opposed to the length. The deployment of the monaulatoi is also unusual. A single line of spearmen is not a formation that is expected to stop cavalry in any other time or place. A single line of polearm users is also unusual; but slightly less so. In late medieval / renaissance usage, a line of soldiers armed with two-hand swords (which were handled similarly to polearms) could be deployed as a "forlorn hope". Polearm troops (halberdiers) were often deployed with pikemen, which resembles the second use of the menavlatoi. <p></p><i></i>