Roman Baggage Trains?

[koechlyruestow]

Sean, this is very interesting. However, where does the Strategikon suggest that carts were pulled by mules or horses?

[Sean Manning]

Sean, this is very interesting. However, where does the Strategikon suggest that carts were pulled by mules or horses?

My library is in boxes, but I will check when I am finished moving. I could have been thinking of the carroballistae of the Principate which are drawn by equines on Trajan's column. Of course these are light vehicles with a light load. I have not studied ancient transport in detail ... but a lot of the experts seem to think that Roman vehicles were better than used to be suggested.

[koechlyruestow]

You are certainly right about Landels, I have looked up his sources, and Lefebre-Desnoëttes is his source for the land transport chapter, with Hilzheimer and Vigneron. I knew there were reliefs of late-Roman carts with breast-harnesss he does not mention, I believe I saw it in Bulliet's The Camel and the Wheel.

However, it still seemed plausible to me because the carts in Procopius and the Strategikon, as far as I have been able to find references, are asociated with oxen (as I told you), not with mules, the latter repeatedly referred to in Procopius as pack-animals or strategic mounts for Persian soldiers, but perhaps I missed something.

[Gunthamund Hasding]

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