11-06-2007, 02:53 PM
Interesting.
I can think of other authorities for all Roman soldiers being taught to ride, that part of the hypothesis is certainly verifiable. The hasta, spatha and clipeus are attested as being used by cavalry at earlier periods when the pilum, gladius and scutum were the (legionary) infantry equipment. This also supports the thesis. There are written references to an all-cavalry army in northern Italy at a slightly earlier time than Aurelian, under Gallienus, so this could also be used.
However, logic would suggest that causality is not shown. It is not necessary to be given specific types of weapons and shields in order to ride a horse, if the intention was to dismount to fight. There are also circumstances, independant of primary sources, which would mitigate against the production of an army composed wholly of dual purpose cavalry/infantry soldiers. The time of Aurelian was one of crisis in the Empire including severe military, social, political and fiscal dislocation, and inflationary pressures on state income were considerable. As mounted soldiery were, and always have been, far more expensive to raise and maintain and took far longer to train than foot soldiers it seems highly unlikely that a state in crisis could afford to mount all of its soldiery.
I can think of other authorities for all Roman soldiers being taught to ride, that part of the hypothesis is certainly verifiable. The hasta, spatha and clipeus are attested as being used by cavalry at earlier periods when the pilum, gladius and scutum were the (legionary) infantry equipment. This also supports the thesis. There are written references to an all-cavalry army in northern Italy at a slightly earlier time than Aurelian, under Gallienus, so this could also be used.
However, logic would suggest that causality is not shown. It is not necessary to be given specific types of weapons and shields in order to ride a horse, if the intention was to dismount to fight. There are also circumstances, independant of primary sources, which would mitigate against the production of an army composed wholly of dual purpose cavalry/infantry soldiers. The time of Aurelian was one of crisis in the Empire including severe military, social, political and fiscal dislocation, and inflationary pressures on state income were considerable. As mounted soldiery were, and always have been, far more expensive to raise and maintain and took far longer to train than foot soldiers it seems highly unlikely that a state in crisis could afford to mount all of its soldiery.
Martin
Fac me cocleario vomere!
Fac me cocleario vomere!
