Recreating a Greek Cavalryman

[John Conyard]

Over the past few days I have had a chance to ride using different weapons and shields. I've had a great time in perfect weather with lots of BBQ's other good food and drink.

Last year I was riding Murph. Murph is steady with a broad back. In comparison Hal has a narrow back, a great turn of speed and is a stallion. He is more challanging. Hal is just 14 hands and a good shape for a Greek/Roman horse. I used a sheepskin held in place with a well padded Spanish girth which goes all around the horse. I put a blanket over the whole lot.
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I spent some time trying to ride with an aspis. Mine is a DSC 9.6 kg/22 lb version. With it resting on my shoulder I couldn't hold the reins in my left hand, so I had to ride right handed. The weight of the aspis was literally trying to pull me off the horse. I felt like a hoplite riding to battle rather than a shielded cavalryman.
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I played around with a pelta and could ride left handed with a weapon in right. I loved the bronze skythian axe hammer.
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I then tried a round pelta. I fear this looks covered in bronze from the pictures, but in fact it is plastic from the film "Alexander". But size and curvature are good. It was easy to use and the rim didn't get in the way of holding the reins in my left hand.
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I spent a lot of time with the 4m long kontos/sarissa. You need two hands for this weapon and none of the shields could be carried. I tried the weapon one handed but my arm soon begain to ache. As a roman I feel I could use a kontos against infantry or cavalry. But as a Greek, with relatively little support on the horse, the sarissa felt like a weapon to use against fellow horsemen. If I hit a foot soldier with it the impact would take me off my horse.
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Throwing javelins needed some getting used to. At first I rose on the horse and left fly with all my strength. But there was nothing to brace myself against and I almost slide off the horse as I followed through. I could ride with one javelin held in my left hand vertically, and another in my right ready for throwing.

I tried a large tapered spear with a massive head and small ferule. I suspect as a reconstruction this is all wrong, but I gave it a go. It would kill anything it came into contact with, but it was hard to use. I rammed straight through a shield and almost came off with the shock of contact. it is very heavy.

I used the cavalry kopis and it was a joy. I did resort to a small leather loop around part of the handle to help hold the sword in the scabbard. I need to make a bone neck piece for the scabbard in an attempt to hold the sword in place.

The boetian helmet was great for keeping the sun off, and Hal seemed to think the whole thing was a nice holiday compared to Roman saddles and armour. I enjoyed it.