Cavalry re-enactment

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

SALVE

Is here anybody who makes Cavalry re-enactment?
One member of LEGIO PRIMA GERMANICA is a horse rider and we are thinking in made a cavalry section. So, we need the advice and help of another re-enactors who have made that, and want to share his useful experience.

Thanks in advancing...

[Robert Vermaat]

I know of several groups. Two in the UK (ask Arthes, i have no contact address for them), one in Germany (Timetrotter).
And yesterday Nodge Nolan tells me he's started with Late Roman horse trappings...

[Arthes]

Greetings,

I know of several groups. Two in the UK (ask Arthes, i have no contact address for them), one in Germany (Timetrotter).
And yesterday Nodge Nolan tells me he's started with Late Roman horse trappings...

We work with a couple of cavalry based groups, English Heritage's Troop amonst others.
ESG use Alan Larsen....of The Troop and Draco fame! [email protected]
This is Nigel's site, who has also worked with Alan....[url:twlyanel]http://www.trajan20.freeserve.co.uk/[/url]
Legio XIV has auxilliary cavalry
[url:twlyanel]http://www.legion-fourteen.com/romans.htm[/url] (scroll down for pictures)
Era has a late Roman cavalrywomen....
[url:twlyanel]http://www.erauk.org/[/url]
There is also an Sarmatian group being formed.
I just realised, we have Peroni from Coh I Batavorum MCRPF
[url:twlyanel]http://www.romanarmy.net/auxilia.htm[/url] (hope thats the correct group...!)

regards
Arthes

[FAVENTIANVS]

I wish the ERA would update their web page some day... :?

[Crispvs]

"Legio XIV has auxilliary cavalry"

Do they really? If you mean the cavalry in the photos above and below the nasty Deepeeka gladius, it looks to me as if they may have hired horses for a day's photography. I don't see any actual cavalry equipment on the mounted men. It looks to me as if they simply took off their segmentata so as not to appear too much like infantry but kept their decidedly infantry helmets on. I think if they actually had cavalry there would be a few more pictures of them. After all - they would really be something to show off. I don't find these photos conclusive proof that they have cavalry. A couple of years ago their website showed a soldier mounted on a camel. It looked impressive but somehow I doubt that it features in their public demonstrations.
If any of the St Albans crowd posts on RAT perhaps they could enlighten us.

The 'Sarmatian' group would be the unit being gradually formed by Fronto (AKA Steve Rogers). This is likely to be a long term project as (to the best of my knowledge) Fronto is trying to make all of the armour himself. He has been making some very nice scales, but the last time I spoke with him (about four months ago) he had completed about half of the first of eleven horse trappers he intends to make, along with scale armour for the intended eleven soldiers (one third of a turma accompanied by an officer or standard bearer). It had taken him about five months of work to make the half trapper. I can only imagine how long ten and a half more trappers and eleven scale cuirasses will take! If he outfits one or two in mail (which he said he did not wish to do) it might take less time, as he is an extremely talented mail maker and is in touch with a number of other experienced mail makers who could help out. However, his new found financial freedom means he feel like doing something different to what anyone else has done. I really wish him success and I look forward to the day when I can see some of his projected unit up and running. It will certainly be a splendid sight! Several people I know have been taking riding lessons so as to be able to participate (I sometimes toy with the idea myself) so he will not be short of bodies to equip. The late Roman cavalry equipments that Nodge is producing may be connected with Fronto's project. Fronto normally refers to it as "the third century cavalry group" or "the third century Sarmation cavalry group".

As you say, Peronis can do an early third century cavalry impression (yes the group was the correct one), as I can do an early fourth century infantry impression, but neither of us do this as a regular thing (although having got the kit together we probably wouldn't mind doing multi-period displays a bit more often than we do at the moment).

We have also worked with Alan Larson and the troop, although less often than the ESG have. There is also Marcus Junkelmann's Ala II Flavia of course, although I don't know how much cavalry work he is doing at the moment compared to gladiators. He told me when I met him some years ago that he was having trouble getting replacements for his aging stable of horses.

Crispvs
Leg XIIII GMV

[Alexius]

Dear Cesar Pocinya,

We are working in Roman “Civita Equitataâ€ÂÂ

[Theodosius the Great]

Avete,

Out of the few who do cavalry impressions I've never seen anyone wear a sagum. Why is that ? Not enought evidence to support its use ?

Imo, they'd look much better wearing them as part of their ensemble. The argument saying that wearing one in battle would be a hinderance wouldn't seem to apply as much in the case of cavalry.

Thoughts?

~Theo

[Crispvs]

"The argument saying that wearing one in battle would be a hinderance wouldn't seem to apply as much in the case of cavalry."

Why is that? I would have thought that cloaks would be even more dangerous for cavalry in combat as they could be grabbed by infantry and used to pull cavalry from their horses, quite aside from getting in the way whilst fighting.

When off duty or patrolling however, I cannot think of any reason why they would not wear them. Most of our images of cavalry show them either in an 'action' pose (reitertyp stelae for intance) or reclining togate for a meal. We do not have intermediate images which would show cavalry patrolling, doing fatigue duties, returning from the bath house, standing around bored or playing dice, all of which occasions might see them wearing cloaks.


Crispvs

[Theodosius the Great]

I would have thought that cloaks would be even more dangerous for cavalry in combat as they could be grabbed by infantry and used to pull cavalry from their horses, quite aside from getting in the way whilst fighting.

Good point. But I thought their real job was to hack down at enemy infantry during pursuit when they're fleeing (the most fun part of the battle :wink: )

Most of our images of cavalry show them either in an 'action' pose (reitertyp stelae for intance) or reclining togate for a meal.

Are these tomb stones you're referring to ? Or on all depictions, including monuments ?

Officers on momuments or sarcophagii are offen (always ?) shown wearing their sagums, I believe. Just look at my current avatar. 8)

~Theo

[Robert]

Eehhh, about the helmets..... in the early empire days (first century) Robinson is rather non specific about whether or not something is a cavalry helmet and he rates the Gallic's with the not jet so long neckflange as a possible helmet for auxilary cavalry.
Please, be gentle

[Viventius]

Details on the Comitatus cavalry can be found here:

http://www.comitatus.net/cavalry.htm

And some are wearing cloaks ....

[Theodosius the Great]

Thanks for the link !

I didn't know there was a unit that did Late Roman cavalry Nice cloaks.

Hey, mounted crossbowmen :!:
8)



~Theo

[Robert Vermaat]

Era has a late Roman cavalrywomen....
There is also an Sarmatian group being formed.

ERA? Really??? Last I heard (but that might not be the latest info) was that ERA (without Matt Bunker) might join Britannia...

That Sarmatian group is formed around Fronto from the RMRS and supposedly aims at 11 armoured cavalry! hock:

[Caballo]

"That Sarmatian group is formed around Fronto from the RMRS and supposedly aims at 11 armoured cavalry!"

Had a long chat with Fronto together with Celer at Ryton-on-Dunsmore, and Fronto's ambitions here are superb- and he has the resources to achieve it. I believe it will be truly spectacular once finished- the best for two millenia.

However, it is still a while off completion, as Crispus says.

On the subject, wasn't there a very impressive fully armoured cataphract from Australia?

Cheers

Caballo

[Robert Vermaat]

On the subject, wasn't there a very impressive fully armoured cataphract from Australia?

Indeed, Warren Lambley.

I'll ask my contact again about him.