what was the function of the Roman cavalry?

[Sean Manning]

That’s the common theory, but the book I read disagreed, and seemed rather convincing. I think it was Jeremiah B. McCall, The Cavalry of the Roman Republic: Cavalry Combat and Elite Reputations in the Middle and Late Republic. He thinks that when Republican cavalry were beaten, they tended to be outnumbered or facing excellent opponents. But by the 1st century BC, the Roman elite were proving themselves in business or politics or as officers, rather than as common cavalrymen, and there were plenty of good equites auxiliae available to replace them. Pompey managed to get plenty of rich Romans to fight as cavalry for him, but they fled at Pharsalus, probably because they were inexperienced.

Rubicon, could you please format your quotes? It would make your posts easier to follow. Just highlight the text you want to quote and type alt-q.