Spartan army 400 - 390

[PMBardunias]

Going a littlte out of topic, I disagree in some details, the cuirassiers of Gustavus Adolfus times wore the lobster half armour, that never returned. Also, I would say that the preeminent cavalry of Europe to reemerge were lancers.

A bit confusing because I was referring to the actual breast-plate when I wrote cuirasse, which Gustavus could not wear. Only a small portion of his armored cavalry were in half armor, such as those from Courland. The majority was in breast-plate alone- with our without buff coat.

Saddly, since I have a genetic affinity to lancers through my mother's Polish blood, the Cuirassier was the preeminent cavalry of the the early 19th c. They were the heavies, with the biggest horses and the most expensive, while the Lancers would always be considered light cavalry. I agree that were you on the ground at Albuera you might have a different opinion.