Gallic cavalry. . or German or any western cav. . help!

[Sean Manning]

The mix of cavalry and light infantry was a fairly common tactic- Alexander used it on several occasions, for example. It added extra firepower, and in a melee the might infantry could squeeze among the enemy horses, pull down riders and gall mounts. It also meant that enemy cavalry couldn't just ride down the missile infantry. Some medieval Moslem cavalry often dismounted to shoot (it gave a more stable platform, and put the horse at less risk from counterfire) but I can't think of any ancient examples.

There was a recent thread on "What was the function of ancient cavalry?" which might have some things of interest. Suffice it to say that I am not convinced that no cavalry would charge into a dense mass of infantry. Aside from disorderly troops or ones without long weapons, there are disquieting accounts of cavalry getting into pike reach of the infantry they had charged. This is hard to explain, given what I know of horse behavior.

[philsidnell]

Hi there,

Yes, the Macedonians made some use of it. At Granicus for instance the Agrianian (spelt wrong?) javelinmen came to the assistance of the cavalry that were fighting their way out of the river. From at least the first c. BC the Germans, followed by the Gauls and then by Caesar himself, made notable us of light infantry mixed with their cavalry.

Good point about the Medieval muslim cavalry dismounting to shoot, but the original question was about doing the same with javelins, which would give you less space/time to remount and get away if the enemy counterattacked.

I'm sure cavalry charged infantry. There is masses of evidence for it. It is not that hard to understand with what is demonstrable about horse behaviour. True, horses are generally not suicidal, charging a well-formed pike block frontally would be a huge ask, but all infantry were vulnerable on flanks and rear and even frontally if they wavered or allowed gaps to appear in the ranks. Horses can be trained to do all sorts of things that are 'unnatural', including jumping through hoops of fire or (harder) through hoops of opaque paper. Besides, the greatest part of the 'shock' in 'shock' action is not physical but psychological. Any of you volunteer to stand in front of the Grand National (or Kentucky Derby?), or in front of a mounted police charge and try to halt it with a pointy stick?


Phil Sidnell

[Dan Diffendale]

Many thanks, Phil! I've run across suggestions that a ride, quick dismount, throw and remount became popular as an athletic event in Italy, and even became an Olympic event as the Italiote cities rose in prominence (but didn't last long). It's in Fausto Zevi's article on the Warrior of Lanuvium in Spectacles sportifs et scéniques dans le monde étrusco-italique.

[philsidnell]

That's very interesting, I'd like to check that out. Always happy to be proved wrong. Of course, discus was also an Olympic event but not much of a military tactic.

Phil Sidnell. :wink:

[Sean Manning]

Dismounting to throw javelins does sound a bit impractical. Still, I can see it being made to work.

[philsidnell]

I can easily imagine situations where it might have been preferable, such as if the terrain was not great for the rapid turns and manoeuvres required for true mounted skirmishing. Use the horses for strategic or grand tactical movement, leave them a way back from the action then dismount to skirmish forward on foot like later dragoons. I just doubt, from the evidence I can think of, that it was regularly used as the tactic of choice.

If you wanted dismounted javelinmen then there were plenty of poor plebs to provide these. Reducing your wealthies citizens who could afford the best kit to the same, usually indecisive, role, would seem a bit of a waste, wouldn't it?

Phil Sidnell