Hellenic cataphracts

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A cataphract was a form of armored heavy cavalry that originated in Persia and was fielded in ancient warfare throughout Eurasia and Northern Africa. Historically, the cataphract was a very heavily armored horseman, with both the rider and mount almost completely covered in scale armor , and typically wielding a kontos lance as his primary weapon. Cataphracts served as the elite cavalry force for most empires and nations that fielded them, primarily used for charges to break through opposing heavy cavalry and infantry formations. Chronicled by many historians from the earliest days of antiquity up until the High Middle Ages , they may have influenced the later European knights , through contact with the Eastern Roman Empire. In Europe, the fashion for heavily armored Roman cavalry seems to have been a response to the Eastern campaigns of the Parthians and Sasanians in Anatolia , as well as numerous defeats at the hands of Iranian cataphracts across the steppes of Eurasia, most notably in the Battle of Carrhae 53 BC in upper Mesopotamia. Traditionally, Roman cavalry was neither heavily-armored nor decisive in effect; the Roman equites corps comprised mainly lightly-armored horsemen bearing spears and swords and using light cavalry tactics to skirmish before and during battles, and then to pursue retreating enemies after a victory.

Hellenic cataphracts

EB1: The Hellenistic Kataphraktoi are armored in an expensive combination of lamellar armor and chain. They are to be used as heavy shock cavalry, but have staying power in melee because of the sheer weight of their armor. EB2: An evolution of the heavy cavalry, the kataphraktoi incorporate influences from the advancements of the cavalry nations to the east. If the hetairoi are the hammer of the "hammer and anvil", then the kataphraktoi are a sledge hammer. After suffering heavy losses to the Parthoi and Armenioi Kataphraktoi, the Seleukid and Baktrian empires produced their own versions of these heavy horsemen, both adapting the tactics and style of warfare to Hellenic technology and using superior metalwork to make them even more heavily armored. They are armored in an expensive combination of lamellar armor and chain, with heavy felt sandwiched in the middle. The resulting armor is tough and flexible, but offers outstanding protection. They are to be used as heavy shock cavalry, and have staying power in melee because of the sheer weight of their armor. Their horses are more heavily armored than those of the Hetairoi, but they lack the characteristic fierceness and discipline of the elite Diadochoi cavalry. Historically, Hellenistic Kataphraktoi were at least as good as their Parthoi enemy, but most Seleukeis commanders did not quite understand how to use this cavalry. They won great victories over the Parthoi when supporting the tougher and more elite Hetairoi, compelling the Parthoi to settle for a peace treaty and suzerainty over some of the Seleukid eastern possessions. They passed into history when most of the unit was bribed by Pompeius during his conquest of the east. They formed the basis for the Romaioi Kataphraktoi of later ages.

EB2: An evolution of the heavy cavalry, the kataphraktoi incorporate influences from the advancements of the cavalry nations to the east. In his description of the Battle of CynoscephalaePolybius describes a unit called peltasts, hellenic cataphracts, a hellenic cataphracts of shielded, skirmishing, light infantry. July 04,PM 5.

Military Saints is a common representative art theme in every Eastern Orthodox project of religious decoration of menologia, psalters, minitures, frescoes,manuscripts or secular iconography numismatics,seals. This iconographical tradition is rooted in Hellenistic culture and fully grew during the Roman Empire. Kings, Generals, Emperors and Gods dressed in armors in order to defend their earthly and celestial realms. This tradition survived during Late Antiquity. We should assume that the attires of Military saints have heavily based on traditional defensive weaponry in use at the time the icons were created. The leather element is essential to prevent the rigid metal elements from abrading each other.

By the 7 th and 8 th centuries B. Some were armed lightly and were used to harass the enemy from afar with missiles or to pursue routing troops. Other types of cavalry units were heavily armed, and were used as shock troops to break enemy formations. The most heavily armed cavalry unit in the ancient world was the greatly feared cataphract. It has been pointed out that one of the earliest known depictions of the cataphract can be found in Khwarezm, a region in Central Asia near the Aral Sea. This image portrays a warrior clad in armor, armed with a lance and bow, and mounted on an armored horse. It has been estimated that these cavalrymen were used in the region as early as the 6 th century B. Apart from the Seleucids, various other Central Asian nations also had cataphracts in their armies. The figure on top in the middle is believed to be Khosrau II. The cataphract is not known, although various theories exist on his identity, but he is certainly of royal nobility.

Hellenic cataphracts

Melee Infantry No. Unit Sol. Custom Cost Recru. Ship Spd. Other Faction's Units Grand Campaign 36 1. Odrysian Kingdom.

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Article Talk. Armour too, was sometimes wrapped around the elephants to protect them and increase the natural defense offered by the thickness of their hides. Roman writers throughout imperial history made much of the terror of facing cataphracts, let alone receiving their charge. Figure 1. Tarn even suggests that the Greek known to the Indians as "Yavanas" population in India may not have been as small as one would suppose, stating "There may well have been many more Yavanas Greek tactical manuals categorize them as cataphracts fully armored, a type of cavalry not to be confused with the Seleucid, Parthian or Byzantine cataphracts and aphracts unarmored. Hellenikoi Kataphraktoi Hellenic Cataphracts. The eastern kingdoms of the Ptolemaic , Seleucid , Graeco-Bactrian and Indo Greek kingdoms, had an even more problematic situation. This is because the men of the 'Roman Contingent' are described as being in their prime of life. The Parthians, who wrested control over their native Persia from the last Seleucid Kingdom in the East in BC, were also noted for their reliance upon cataphracts as well as horse archers in battle. Ammianus Marcellinus , Roman soldier and historian of the fourth century, mentions the " cataphracti equites quos clibanarios dictitant " — the "cataphract cavalry which they regularly call clibanarii " implying that clibanarii is a foreign term, not used in Classical Latin. Fuzzyballs01 30 Jan, am. Both were skirmishing formations and facilitated continuous harassment while at the same time providing the required mobility to avoid enemy charges.

Iranians deploying cataphracts at some time in their history included the Sarmatians, Parthian dynasty, Sassanid Persians, Armenians, Pergamenes, and later Romans, Byzantines and others. The Romans and Byzantines adopted this type of unit from Iranians, especially from Parthians, after the Battle of Carrhae. Cataphracts were the heavy assault force of most nations that used them, acting as shock troops supported by light or heavy infantry and foot or mounted archers.

Cataphracts were heavily armed and armoured cavalrymen. Thus, we have to accept the probability that they were used throughout the Hellenistic era. Other East Asian cultures were also known to have used cataphracts during a similar time period to the Chinese. This is because the men of the 'Roman Contingent' are described as being in their prime of life. While the offensive weapons of these prototype cataphracts were identical to those of the Assyrians, they differed in that not only the rider but also the head and flanks of the horse were protected by armor. Some historians theorise that cataphracts and clibanarii were one and the same type of cavalry, designated differently simply as a result of their divided geographical locations and local linguistic preferences. The Journal of Roman Studies , Vol. The penetrating power of the cataphract's lance was recognized as being fearful by Roman writers, described as being capable of transfixing two men at once, as well as inflicting deep and mortal wounds even on opposing cavalries' mounts, and were definitely more potent than the regular one-handed spear used by most other cavalries of the period. Levy Pikemen. Even at Pydna , it took the strange withdrawal of the Macedonian cavalry for the Romans to finally outflank the phalanx and claim a costly victory. Total War: Attila New!! Army New!! This specific structure enable high grade of flexibility and protection. However, it seemed oddly unlikely that no cataphracts at any point decided to use cataphracts with a shorter spear and a shield, but this is just an assumption. The Boeotian League 's cavalry was commanded by a Hipparchos and each cavalry squadron ile , pl.