Description
Book SynopsisFollowing Roman Heavy Cavalry (1) on the earlier centuries, this book explains and illustrates the armor, weapons, organization, and deployment of elite heavy armored cavalry units during their long history in the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire.
In the twilight of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th6th centuries, the elite of the field armies was the heavy armored cavalrythe cataphracts, clad in lamellar, scale, mail, and padded fabric armor. After the fall of the West, the Greek-speaking Eastern or Byzantine Empire survived for nearly a thousand years, and cavalry remained predominant in its armies, with the heaviest armored regiments continuing to provide the ultimate shock-force in battle.
Accounts from Muslim chroniclers show that the ironclad cataphract on his armored horse was an awe-inspiring enemy: ...they advanced against you, iron-coveredone would have said that they advanced on horses which seemed to have no legs. The heavy uni
Table of Contents
Introduction Select Chronology Heavy Armoured Cavalry in the Eastern Roman Army Organization & Units Formation & Tactics Weapons & Armour Horses Bibliography Index
