Equites Stablesiani

[Robert Vermaat]

Taking the grooms theme further, and given the Romans love of forming new units from cadres, could not the Stablesiani be units formed from the grooms and assistants from other equites units? That would seem to be a source of trained horsemen and in a crisis, cavalry is cavalry. The ancient equivalent of arming cooks and musicians?

I think I recall that that's the original theory behind this unit. New units formed from (I think I recall) the horse guards of the governors and other high civil servants who lost their military commands during the reign of Constantine.