10-11-2013, 05:32 AM
Hi Moi, I take your point about stirrups changing the game in regards to cavalry warfare but, moving on & getting back to cataphracts & use of the contus. I have 2 translations of a passage in Ars Tactica.
First one is from Ann Hyland's book Training the Roman Cavalry where translation for Arr. Tact. 4,3 reads
The spear bearers are those who approach the enemy ranks & fight them off with spears or charge & drive them back with pikes like the Alans & Sarmatians, & the skirmishers are those who discharge their weapons from a distance, like the Armenians & those of the Parthians who do not carry pikes.
In 4,7 the translation reads
Of the Roman cavalry some carry pikes & charge in the manner of the Alans & Sarmatians & others have lances.
The other translation is from Agusti Alemany's book Sources on the Alans A Critical Compilation where it reads
The lancers are those who approach the enemy lines & fight with lances & pikes, hurling them during the assault, like the Alans & the Sauromatians, while the skirmishers are those who throw their javelins from afar, as the Armenians & those Parthians who do not carry pikes, do now.
In 4,7 translation reads
Among the Romans some horsemen bear pikes & attack in the way of the Alans & the Sauromatians, while others hold javelins.
I have never heard of cataphracts hurling their pikes but could explain 2 handed overhead posture. The 2 translations of 4,3 seem totally different or is there a problem differentiating between pikes, javelins & lances in translations. Any help would be appreciated.
Hyland says her translation is based on Teubner text of A.G. Roos rev.edn.GW Wirth, Leipzig 1968
Alemany in footnotes on page say Arr. Tact. 4,3 ed. Roos Bt II, p132
Regards
Michael Kerr
First one is from Ann Hyland's book Training the Roman Cavalry where translation for Arr. Tact. 4,3 reads
The spear bearers are those who approach the enemy ranks & fight them off with spears or charge & drive them back with pikes like the Alans & Sarmatians, & the skirmishers are those who discharge their weapons from a distance, like the Armenians & those of the Parthians who do not carry pikes.
In 4,7 the translation reads
Of the Roman cavalry some carry pikes & charge in the manner of the Alans & Sarmatians & others have lances.
The other translation is from Agusti Alemany's book Sources on the Alans A Critical Compilation where it reads
The lancers are those who approach the enemy lines & fight with lances & pikes, hurling them during the assault, like the Alans & the Sauromatians, while the skirmishers are those who throw their javelins from afar, as the Armenians & those Parthians who do not carry pikes, do now.
In 4,7 translation reads
Among the Romans some horsemen bear pikes & attack in the way of the Alans & the Sauromatians, while others hold javelins.
I have never heard of cataphracts hurling their pikes but could explain 2 handed overhead posture. The 2 translations of 4,3 seem totally different or is there a problem differentiating between pikes, javelins & lances in translations. Any help would be appreciated.
Hyland says her translation is based on Teubner text of A.G. Roos rev.edn.GW Wirth, Leipzig 1968
Alemany in footnotes on page say Arr. Tact. 4,3 ed. Roos Bt II, p132
Regards
Michael Kerr
Michael Kerr
"You can conquer an empire from the back of a horse but you can't rule it from one"
"You can conquer an empire from the back of a horse but you can't rule it from one"
