07-20-2009, 04:18 AM
Whatever happened to "the sub-Roman Cavalry in Britain?" :wink:
The idea that Iazyges rode around as "heavy cavalry" seems unlikely. They used bows (Groser makes a reproduction example) and short swords. On the Hungarian Plain they were buried in flat graves. At the end of the 2nd century, additional and newer-styled graves show up-- tumuli, by the Roxolani. In the newer Roxolani graves, we finally see long swords (as described by Tacitus)... but not in the Iazyge burials.
One of these typical short swords, with its ring pommel, is in the British Museum and was found with coins of Commodus (who was named after a bathroom fixture 8) ), exactly the correct date. It looks similar to a Roman gladius.
A cavalry using compound bows and short swords hardly seems capable of being "heavy." This is one of the many shortcomings of Littleton & Malcor's book. They never followed up on most of their prognostications, and they gave us too many "reachers." :roll:
Quote:I'm not suggesting for a moment that the Sarmatian force remained at full strength and culturally undiluted for 200+ years (I'm sure that the bulk if not all of any surviving effective heavy cavalry force would have been taken into Europe by MM)....my names not Melcor you know? :wink:
The idea that Iazyges rode around as "heavy cavalry" seems unlikely. They used bows (Groser makes a reproduction example) and short swords. On the Hungarian Plain they were buried in flat graves. At the end of the 2nd century, additional and newer-styled graves show up-- tumuli, by the Roxolani. In the newer Roxolani graves, we finally see long swords (as described by Tacitus)... but not in the Iazyge burials.
One of these typical short swords, with its ring pommel, is in the British Museum and was found with coins of Commodus (who was named after a bathroom fixture 8) ), exactly the correct date. It looks similar to a Roman gladius.
A cavalry using compound bows and short swords hardly seems capable of being "heavy." This is one of the many shortcomings of Littleton & Malcor's book. They never followed up on most of their prognostications, and they gave us too many "reachers." :roll:
Alan J. Campbell
member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians
Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)
"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians
Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)
"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
