07-18-2010, 07:34 AM
Fascinating. If this helps I've read that just plain old farmers who owned a medium-sized farm could own and sustain two head of cattle, which comparatively is half the cost of maintaining two horses who have the same value. (if I remember correctly one head of cattle is two cows) Even a magistrate with just a few holdings, say two hundred people in his care, roughly twenty-twenty five farms, and sustaining a small herd of pigs and sheep. Now if I understand this correctly, by reserving at least a tenth of the produce for cattle, another fith for people and livestock, that would leave forty percent of the harvest left. I believe that an average levy from an overlord for the harvest so that it may be used as tribute, (IE taxes) Which would go to trading for livestock and other valuables was a manageable twenty percent. Leaving twenty percent of the harvest to maintain a warrior population, which would be roughly twenty-five men as professionals perhaps? Of course by that I do mean maintaining horses. (Note: The warriors are from the village, not an external force) Now in this scenario we have enough left to field all those men on horseback, but this is merely hypothetical, I realize that this is flawed and that they probably couldn't field twenty-five mounted warriors in one small village which guards an area roughly 10km square. However considering that I'm taking just grain into account, and modern Celtic breeds can live off low value foods, the horses, at least, may be possible, the training, armour, and weaponry are another story.
Nicholas
