Sarmatian (or Scythian) soldiers in the 1st century AD

[Paullus Scipio]

Jef said:-

I'm still unsure what a Sarmatian fighting for Rome would wear armourwise. A horn cuirras? Chainmail? A metal squamata?

There is a damaged stel found at Chester, England, of a Sarmatian Roman Auxiliarymounted standard bearer/draconarius with what looks like a conical spangenhelm, cloak, short sword strapped to right leg and probably scale armour...the stele is too damaged to say much more, alas....as to horn or squamata, your guess is as good as anyone's.....

[brennivs - tony drake]

The short sword is a dagger that was strapped to the leg, this is a traditonal way they carried the weapon it also has a ring pommel and the blade shape is similiar to the commando dagger.Thanks for reminding me Pavllvs forgot about that one.
Regards Brennivs

[Paullus Scipio]

Brennus said:-

The short sword is a dagger that was strapped to the leg, this is a traditonal way they carried the weapon it also has a ring pommel and the blade shape is similiar to the commando dagger.

...are you sure about this ? The photo I have is damaged/chipped in this area, just above a missing chunk, though of course you would expect the short sword/large dagger to have a ring pommel at this date...and the blade shape on the stele and on extant examples seems to be more gladius shaped, but with a more rounded point........

[MeinPanzer]

...are you sure about this ? The photo I have is damaged/chipped in this area, just above a missing chunk, though of course you would expect the short sword/large dagger to have a ring pommel at this date...and the blade shape on the stele and on extant examples seems to be more gladius shaped, but with a more rounded point........

At least on Bosporan stelae, the short dagger is always shown strapped to the right thigh with two straps after the first century BC.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Brennus said:-

The short sword is a dagger that was strapped to the leg, this is a traditonal way they carried the weapon it also has a ring pommel and the blade shape is similiar to the commando dagger.

...are you sure about this ? The photo I have is damaged/chipped in this area, just above a missing chunk, though of course you would expect the short sword/large dagger to have a ring pommel at this date...and the blade shape on the stele and on extant examples seems to be more gladius shaped, but with a more rounded point........

That sounds just like the artefact I was drooling over in an antique shop not too long ago...... :roll:

[brennivs - tony drake]

Pavllvs the discription I have is that it is a leg straped weapon which is also mentioned in the Osprey book but I can not put my hand on the pic of it at the momment but will check it out
Regards Brennivs

[Paullus Scipio]

Wonderful ! ...and still something of the steppe nomads their ancestors once were recognisable in their traditions.......You come up with the most amazing strange stuff, Gioi. How do you do it??

[lup_alb]

The attack from the leap you can see in that dance is known as "salmon leap", and it is a style known as a characteristic of the warrior women in that area. Another dance that looks somehow similar and it is very old is the "Calusari" in Southern Romania but the "fight" is with sticks and without shields. The "modern" version of the folkloric dance doesn't have a lot of fight , but the original version was much more aggresive. Only men are doing that dance and they are bound by an oath when they form a calusari group. Calusari is an old word meaning horsemen or mounted warriors. Scythians and later Alans, Cumans and Pechenegs are known to have lived there together with the Thraco-Dacians and later Walachians during the migration period.
And another thing, the calusari are wearing a costume that looks familiar to the roman reenactors, you will see why.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BkyAhYFprI

[Titvs Statilivs Castvs]

Did the Romans use Sarmatian archers? And what type of units did they use the most, or, to say it different, what type of unit did the Sarmatians provide most?

[lup_alb]

Cavalry, both heavy and light.

[Paullus Scipio]

Cavalry, both heavy and light.

...I know Contus armed cavalry, probably Sarmatian were recruited as early as Hadrian's reign, but we don't know if they were dual-armed, though this seems likely. I am not aware of evidence for light cavalry until much later, when Alan archers appear. Do you have evidence for light cavalry earlier? What did you have in mind?


P.S. I sent sketches by e-mail in a form you could enlarge, but my e-mail encountered problems.I then sent two P.M.'s inquiring if you got them O.K. - but these are apparently uncollected? Did you get the sketches O.K. ?

[Titvs Statilivs Castvs]

Cavalry, both heavy and light.

But no archers? In the first century AD, were there local men who offered their services at the Romans? Mercenaries? (Archers?)

[Marcus Julius]

Jonwr I am afraid it is not a ring pommel I have across,the ring like that has to my knowledge not been found,the grip is too long and non have been found that have a diamond cross section blade, but you never know it could be new one D
Regards Brennivs

Tony, how about the 3rd one in that stack?
I read that there was a literary reference to a stone pommel, which is what yours appears to be. Am I right? If so, where was the find, and when is it dated?

[Virilis]

Brian, rock crystal and jade pommels have been found at Dura Europos in Syria. They were propably of sassanian origin from the the 250-60`s Ad...

[brennivs - tony drake]

Marcvs I will get back to you a bit bysy at the moment.
Regards Brennivs