07-22-2019, 09:25 AM
Michael Collins Wrote:each having a body of horse in order to send reinforcements wherever they might be needed.
The body of horse each had and used to sent in reinforcements are guard cavalry. I don't think Appian quite understands how they were used. Guard cavalry have been referred to as "the pick of the army," "those of his command," and "the best about his person." In the early republic they could be combined with the other legionary cavalry. Dionysius and Livy for the years 495 BC and 449 BC, include the guard cavalry in the total number of Roman cavalry. Plutarch numbers the guard cavalry for 168 BC at 120 men, which is correct.
