Auxiliary Cavalryman
Roman auxiliary cavalry served in alae and mixed cohorts. Riders of the auxilia scouted, protected flanks, pursued enemies and participated in raids and battles. They were not exclusively light cavalry: equipment and tactics depended on unit, date and task.
Equipment could include a spear, javelins, a sword, a shield, a helmet and body armour. Finds and tombstones show considerable variation. Face masks are known in Roman cavalry equipment, particularly for display and training; there is no basis for excluding every auxiliary from their use.
A cavalry soldier should not automatically be identified with the civilian equestrian order. For horse equipment, see Roman cavalry equipment.
Bas-relief with a Batavian horseman. Early 2nd century AD
Tombstone of the horseman Auxilarius,C. Romanius Capito. Mainz-Zahlbach. 1-2 century AD
Related topics
- Equites-riders
- Gladiator Equites
- Roman equestrian equipment
- Auxiliaries
- Sagittarius
- Auxiliary Spearman
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