“Bellator equus”. The Combat Effectiveness of the Roman Republican Cavalry
“Bellator equus”. The Combat Effectiveness of the Roman Republican Cavalry

Summary/Abstract: This paper has as to present a history of the Roman republican cavalry from aspect of combat effectiveness. The conflicts of the mid-Republican era (especially the Punic wars) had a strong impact on the evolution of the cavalry. From a rather effective force, under the impact of disasters inflicted by Hannibal the Roman cavalry underwent a long series of changes: from the light equipment to the sturdier chainmails, shield, and javelins. Subsequently the cavalry tactics changed and due to these aspects the Romans managed to defeat their worst adversaries and to emerge as the new Mediterranean “superpower”.

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