what was the function of the Roman cavalry?

[TraderTrey9785]

I think it is important to note that cavalry, although not always in equal numbers to the infantry, was still an integral part of Roman Warfare, but it did have drawbacks. Despite the advantages stated above, cavalry still had many disadvantages such as the fact that it can't hold fixed positions, nor can it break an infantry line in a head-on charge. But successful commanders are able to utilize both cavalry and infantry together in coordinated attacks to achieve victory. The best advantage of cavalry is definitely its sheer speed -- the ability to advance quickly, retire quickly, and shift between the battlefield at a given moment.

I'd recommend reading Goldsworthy's Roman Army at War, he gives a detailed description of the use of Roman Cavalry, and describes how it was utilized in certain situtations. His work emphasizing vexillations (sp?), or mixed-unit formations that utilize infantry, cavalry, archers, etc -- is absolutely wonderful. Also, Robert Gaebel has a book titled Cavalry Operations in the Ancient Greek World that really gives you the basic history of cavalry in Greece. It is really worth reading if you have the time, especially because Gaebel traces the development of cavalry from the beginning and uses different battles to illustrate how cavalry can be used effectively (or misused) in given situations. Although not Roman, its still very helpful.