Roman use of the Contus

[ValentinianVictrix]

It's certainly an interesting piece. It looks very similar to medieval carvings I have seen. I would say that thus is a medieval carving of possibly some north eastern European mounted warrior. The confusing part is the helmet the rider is wearing.

[gswain]

I agree that was what was throwing me off until I found a picture of a Sarmation on horseback (see attached). The helmet kind of looks like that except mine has depiction of scales on it.

[Mrbsct]

Contarii an Cataphract units don't seem to be mentioned in battles till Constantine's time. Arrian makes no mention of it the Taktica or the Aray on the Alans. Cavalry charges helped Severus win against his enemies but we have no idea the type of calvalry. Severus' calvalry in the Battle of Nisisbis seemed to be all light. So as Aurelian's.

[gswain]

I notice the picture icon associated with Michael Kerr's screen name looks a lot like this carving.

[Michael Kerr]

Hi, the avatar is supposed to be 1st Century AD from Tanais on mouth of Don of a noble Sarmatian or Bospurus Kingdom rider. Is there any information on where your carvings were found? I only chose it as avatar because he was using 2 handed grip.
Regards
Michael Kerr

[gswain]

I wish I knew some background on where it came from but I do not. It came from an estate of someone here in Texas. I started researching the scale armor. I first found pictures of St. George but almost all of them show the dragon in them so I decided it was not that. Then I found Sarmatian sculptures that looked close and finally discovered this meassge board. I notice his right hand is up on the horses head. Since some of the carving is missing, I wondered whether his hand is up high like holding a pike or banner. Maybe that would then connect up with the flowing material behind him or maybe it is just a cape. I did just notice his legs have some scale or plate armor on them near where he sits on the horse (notsure it is visible in any of the photos.

[gswain]

Just looked at the picture in post # 346934. The paint gives me a clue I had not seen before. There is a large chuck of wood missing behind his helmet. The blue in his helmet is continued in the top of the flowing material. I think that means the helmet continued out to a cone shape or a plume and the flowing material came off the helmet. Does that type helmet say anything about the rider?

[Renatus]

Contarii an Cataphract units don't seem to be mentioned in battles till Constantine's time. Arrian makes no mention of it the Taktica or the Aray on the Alans.

This is incorrect. In the Taktika, Arrian states that Roman cavalry was of two sorts, those armed with the kontos, who attacked in the manner of the Alans and Sauromatai, and those armed with lances (Tak. 4.7). In the Ektaxis, he specifies the types of cavalry stationed on the wings of his battle line, amongst which were the kontophoroi (Ekt. 21).

[Flavivs Aetivs]

In 138 AD we have the first reference to a Cataphract unit of Auxilia, probably Sarmatian (Roxolani?) as they had just begun service under the empire a decade prior. It's on a tombstone (don't remember which though) in Syria I think.

[Renatus]

In 138 AD we have the first reference to a Cataphract unit of Auxilia, probably Sarmatian (Roxolani?) as they had just begun service under the empire a decade prior. It's on a tombstone (don't remember which though) in Syria I think.

I think that you are probably referring to the statue base from Camerinum in Italy recording the career of Marcus Maenius Aggrippa, who was prefect of ala I Gallorum et Pannoniorum catafractata during the reign of Hadrian (CIL XI 5632 = ILS 2735). The first record that we have of this unit is in a diploma dated 1 June 125 (RMD IV 235) when it was stationed in Moesia Inferior.

[Nathan Ross]

ala I Gallorum et Pannoniorum catafractata during the reign of Hadrian (CIL XI 5632 = ILS 2735).

I was just about to mention that very same inscription! :grin:

Evan might be thinking of the various tombstones at Apamea in Syria to men of Ala I Ulpia Contariorum. One of these is accurately dated to AD253, though, so we might assume that the others date from the same period.

Ala I Ulpia Contariorum Milliaria was probably (as the name suggests) raised by Trajan and usually based in Pannonia. The earliest reference I can find is a diploma (CIL 16, 64) dated to AD116.

I Gallorum et Pannoniorum Catafractata were apparently based in Dacia for some time, and the name suggests that they might originally have been raised from Gauls. A couple of early-looking inscriptions to men of the Ala Contariorum give origins in Thracia and Africa (!), so it seems unlikely that they were originally ethnic Sarmatians.

[Flavivs Aetivs]

I think I got the two units confused, thanks guys.

[Michael Kerr]

According to Philip Sidnell in his book Warhorse Cavalry in Ancient Warfare mentions that Roxolani used fir wood in making their shafts because of availability but fir could shatter into long splinters that would be a danger to rider & horse but Roman copies may have been made of ash or some other suitable wood. Are there any references of what type of wood the Romans may have used in making a contus?
Regards
Michael Kerr