Sub-Roman Britain (Cavalry etc)

[M. Demetrius]

Well, if anyone thinks a two horse chariot isn't a formidable force vs. bodies (although these were unarmed civilians) maybe rethinking is in order.
http://www.examiner.com/x-12767-US-Head ... uly-parade

[Ron Andrea]

You should see what a horse does to an automobile.

I understand the ancient Briton chariots were four-wheeled carts, not as depicted in Boadicea's statue in London.

I know some Le Tene Celtic war wagon were four-wheeled. Anyone have a source for the Britons?

[Alanus]

I believe la Tene war wagons continued on. The Gauls even had large benched wagons for transferring troops, something like airport busses. Rather doubt these were in Britain at any specific time. The British chariot-- which was a totally dead vehicle during our period-- had the standard two wheels, enough found in chariot burials.

Nicholas and Ron,

What weapons are we trying to list?

longsword-spatha (elite)
plumbata
lance
bow
(no contus)

protection:

shield
helmet (elite)
scale armor or chainmail (elite)
leather cuirass
steel-toed work boots (just kidding :lol: )

PS: Ron, you should see what a MOOSE does to an automobile! Awesome! hock:

[Ron Andrea]

"No contus." Really? No evidence of the presence of contii in post-Roman Britain? hock: That strikes at the heart of this discussion.

Could the Briton bow be used mounted, like the Huns did?


P.S. or a bison.

[M. Demetrius]

P.S. or a bison.

More likely an auroch, but who's quibbling?

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Even a deer will ruin your day.....cats tend to do panel damage, low down......poor thing.

[ArthuroftheBritons]

Alanus,

I doubt the plumbata but perhaps javelins would be more likely.

Ron Andrea,

Yes, there were no contii as far as we know. I believe Mr.Conyard confirmed that two or three pages ago with a summary of all the equipment mentioned in Y Gododdin. As for the bows, I don't see why not. 8)

[Ron Andrea]

Ah, thanks. I hadn't gotten farther back than the discussion of decimation: figured I was a prime candidate as the originator of this thread.

Conyard's material is very suggestive--and helpful--but hardly definitive ... as the discussion following it indicated. I find the lack of helmets especially puzzling. Elsewhere I've read that a helmet and shield were the first articles of "armor" many ancients equipped themselves with, even before body armor. Yet body armor is mention in Y Gododdin and helmets almost not. Could it be that helmets were assumed?

Wish I could remember the source of the above because it had an interesting narrative about the hypothetical progress of a young man (not of a great family) from standing at the back of the levy of the fyrd with no more than a sharpened stick through gradually gathering castoffs on the battle field (the good stuff would go to the great warriors, of course) to (assuming he lived) being given articles as a reward for good service until finally he was admitted to the band of "men" of his leader on his way, if he lived, to joining the warrior class. (Most of the fyrd showed neither the aptitude nor the motivation to become a warrior. You could get hurt! :lol: ) It may have been in one of Bernard Cornwell's Wessex books

[M. Demetrius]

Gosh, Ron, you make it sound like soldiering was dangerous!

[Ron Andrea]

Especially for amateurs! :roll:

[Astiryu1]

I think this applies to the period... 8)
[url:x8q8bty5]http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100708/ap_on_re_eu/eu_britain_roman_coins[/url]

Decimation averted sirs! :lol:

[John Conyard]

Gentlemen it is safe to list:

Javelins.
Swords for the high status members of society, but possibly rather small Irish examples.
Spears.
Armour for the elite, of some sort. Probably mail.
Small shields.
Pad saddles, wooden framed saddles with low cantles and high cantles for the elite.
Some heroic poetry.

And er........that's it.

The next person who mentions a contos, plumbatum, helmet etc etc gets pushed off the mead bench.

[Ron Andrea]

Hard core! :lol:

I din't understand why those weapons are off-limits for discussion. Are their absence from Sub-Roman Britain that well established? Surely on on the basis of just the y Gododdin. Did I miss something? :?

[M. Demetrius]

By the definition used heren on this thread, what's the difference between a contos and a spear, a contos and a lance?

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

By the definition used heren on this thread, what's the difference between a contos and a spear, a contos and a lance?

And a spear and a lance.....?