Roman equestrian equipment
Horse in Latin-equus. From this word comes the name of a warrior who fights on a horse- equit (Lat. equites). Also from the Latin word caballus - "horse, nag" comes the modern word "cavalry". Mounted warriors could be armed with spears, bows, and long swords with shields, and horses in ancient Rome were clad in armor as well as their riders.
Tombstone of the rider Silius from Dienheim with restored flowers. Inv. Nr. S50 Mainz,Germany. 2nd century ADEquestrian equipment in antiquity
Horse equipment included bridles, straps and saddles; spurs are not present in every kit. The Roman four-horned saddle helped support a rider without stirrups. Stirrups are inappropriate for an early imperial Roman impression, but claiming their absence throughout the entire ancient world is too broad.
Harness could carry metal fittings and phalerae. Horse armour was used by particular kinds of heavy cavalry, not every Roman rider. Medieval barding terminology can provide comparisons without establishing an identical ancient kit.
Drawing of Roman spursSpurs, calcaria, are known from Roman archaeological finds. They were secured by straps near the heel of the footwear and could carry a short point. Their shapes and dimensions varied.
Spurs supplemented control through reins, the rider’s seat and leg movements. The claim that ancient riders used them exclusively to slow a horse is incorrect: a spur provided encouragement or a signal, whose effect depended on training. The invention of all spurs should not be attributed to one commander or people without specific evidence.
Discovery of a Roman spur at the battle site in the Teutoburg Forest,Varusschlacht im Osnabrücker Land GmbH-Museum und Park Kalkriese. Early 1st century AD
Discovery of a Roman spur at the battle site in the Teutoburg Forest,Varusschlacht im Osnabrücker Land GmbH-Museum und Park Kalkriese. Early 1st century ADLike the rider, the horse could be well protected by armor. Archaeologists have found mostly scaly horse armor. The head was protected by a special helmet, which could be decorated with complex, voluminous chased plots. Such a helmet often protected the eyes, while providing the horse with a good view, and on the eye sockets there could be not just a grid, but elaborate patterned weaves. The widespread use of horse armor is confirmed by both archaeological and pictorial sources. According to modern terminology, the complex of horse armor can be classified as a barding. Bard (English Barding) - the name of horse armor (usually used in relation to the Middle Ages). It is made of metal plates, chain mail, leather or quilted fabric. It consisted of the following elements: chanfron (muzzle protection), crinet (neck protection), peytral (chest protection), crupper (croup protection) and flanchard (side protection).
Three-piece horse head protection (chanfron),type B. Bronze. Early 3rd century AD Found in the vicinity of Fort Straubing,Germany.
Greek protective equipment for the horse. Found in Italy. 6th century AD
Three-piece horse head protection (chanfron),type B. Early 3rd century AD Bronze plated with silver. Found in the vicinity of Fort Straubing,Germany.Rome's opponents also actively used heavily armored cavalry in battle. Trajan's column shows Sarmatian armoured horsemen: you can see that not only the riders were well protected, but also the horses themselves, whose scaly armor covered the torso and head. Rome adopted this type of cavalry, which later came into service with the army of the Eastern Roman Empire.
Parthian horse in armor from Trajan's column. Early 2nd century AD
Drawing of the cataphractarium from Dura-Europos,2-3 century AD.
Scale armour from Dura-Europos. The preserved section shows how small plates were joined into flexible body protection.The saddle is still of primary importance among other elements of ancient equestrian equipment. Since the rider must be sure to ride a horse without stirrups, and at the same time fight, increased demands were placed on the reliability and ergonomics of the saddle. It was made of leather stretched on a wooden base, and filled with felt. Patterns and stages of making the reconstruction of an antique saddle are shown in the figures below.
Diagram of the structure of the antique saddle
Antique Saddle Production stagesRelated topics
Literature and sources
Evidence for horse armour in the Roman Army - Sebastian Schuckelt.pdf
Horse eye protection,type B. Bronze. Found in Weisenau,Germany. Stored in the Mittelrheinisches Landesmuseum,Mainz. Inv. 29. II. 04. 1st century AD
Horse eye protection,type B. Bronze. Found in Weisenau,Germany. Stored in the Mittelrheinisches Landesmuseum,Mainz. Inv. 29. II. 04. 1st century AD
Horse eye protection,type B. Bronze. Found in Weisenau,Germany. Stored in the Mittelrheinisches Landesmuseum,Mainz. Inv. 3. X. 98. 1st century AD
Horse eye protection,type B. Bronze. Found in Weisenau,Germany. Stored in the Mittelrheinisches Landesmuseum,Mainz. Inv. 3. X. 98. 1st century AD
Horse eye protection,type B. Bronze. Found in Weisenau,Germany. Stored in the Mittelrheinisches Landesmuseum,Mainz. Inv. 10.06.1898. 1st century AD
Horse eye protection,type B. Bronze. Arheološki muzej u Splitu,Croatia. 1st century AD
Horse eye protection,type A. 1st century AD Found in Carnuntum,Austria. Private collection.
Horse head protection type D. Bronze. Found in Fort Neuss, Germany. Rheinisches Landesmuseum, Bonn, Inv. 9261. 1st century AD
Single eye protection,chamfron part,type A. The British Museum. 1-2 century AD
Single eye protection,chamfron part,type A. The British Museum. 1-2 century AD
A complete set of laminated scale armor,late I-early II century AD,found in Tumulus I,Grave 2 in Chatalka,Bulgaria.
Fragment of a three-part chamfron, type C, II-III century AD, Oudheidkundig Provincial Museum, Utrecht, Netherlands.
Right side of the large three-part chanfronte, type C, II-III century AD, Museum of Art History, Vienna, Austria.
Chanfron's eyecup type A. Corbridge,United Kingdom. 2-3 century AD
Fragments of an eyecup,Type A II-III century AD,found in the Inlăceni Auxiliary Forces Fort,Romania
Horse eye protection,type B. Bronze. Pompeii. Inv. 1342.4. 1st century AD
Horse eye protection type B. Found in barracks of Herrera de Pisuerga,Spain. Museum of Provincial Archeology of Spain. 1st century BC - 1st century AD
Fragment of a leather saddle,type A. Found at Fort Carlisle. Stored in the Carlisle Museum. Great Britain. Around AD 90.
Horse eye protection, type A. Rheinisches Landesmuseum, Bonn, Inv. 7843/7844. 1st century AD
Horse protection fragment,type D. Found in Nijmegen,the Netherlands. Het Valkhof Museum,Nijmegen. Inv. CA. 1993. 100. 07324. 1st century AD
Fragment of a leather saddle,type A. Found at Fort Carlisle. Stored in the Carlisle Museum. Great Britain. Around AD 90.
Fragment of leather chanfronte,type A,circa 100 AD Material: leather,diameter: 38 cm,Roman army Museum,Vindolanda
Single eye protection,part of chanfronte,type A,I-II century AD,found in Leith,Netherlands.
Single eye shield,part of chanfronn,type A (possibly paired with the Leith find),I-II century AD,found in Meghen,Netherlands.
Large three-part chanfron, type C, late II-early III century AD, anakkale Arkeoloji Müzesi, Turkey.
Large three-part schamnfron, type C, first third of the 3rd century AD, Straubodenmuseum, Straubing, Germany.
Archival photograph of scale armour from Dura-Europos. The side view shows the volume and fit of the preserved protective element.
Leather equipment fragments from Dura-Europos. The label records the find context and underlines the importance of organic survival at this site.
Fragment of three-part horse protection, type C. Early 3rd century AD Bronze. Found in the vicinity of Straubing, Germany. Stored in the Gasmodenmuseum.
Fragment of a leather scarf,Type A,circa 100 AD,Roman Army Museum,Vindolanda,UK
Fragment of a leather scarf,Type A,circa 100 AD,Roman Army Museum,Vindolanda,UK
Fragment of a leather scarf,Type A,circa 100 AD,Roman Army Museum,Vindolanda,UK
Fragment of a leather scarf,Type A,circa 100 AD,Roman Army Museum,Vindolanda,UK
Eye protection cover, chanfron type A. Skin. I-II centuries AD, Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum, Mainz, Germany
Single eyecup with metal plate,type B,I-II-th century AD,private collection in southern Germany.
Single eyecup with metal plate,type B,I-II-th century AD,private collection.
Single eyecup with metal plate,type B,I-II-th century AD,private collection,Online catalog of the auction house Hermann Historica,auction 66
Left side plate of three-part chanfronte, type B Date: 2nd century AD, Museum der Stadt Regensburg, Germany
Large three-piece chanfronte,type C,second half of the second / early third century AD,Cluj History Museum,Romania
Central panel of three-part chanfron Type C, II-III century AD, Weissenburg Museum, Germany
Three-part chanfron eyecup type C,II-III centuries AD,Ingolstadt Museum,Germany
Large three-part chanfronte, type C, first third of the 13th century AD, Straubing, Germany.
Central part of the three-part chanfronte, type C, II-III century AD, Carleon Museum, UK.
Large three-part chanfronte, type C, first third of the 3rd century AD, Straubodenmuseum, Straubing, Germany.
Large three-part chanfronte, type C, first third of the 3rd century AD, Straubing, Germany.
Fragment of the central chanfron panel,type C,II-III century AD,Mainz,Germany.
Three-piece horse head protection,type B. Silver-plated iron. 1st century AD Found in Dalj,Croatia. Stored in the Archaeological Museum of Zagreb. Inv. AMZ 9231.Interested in Ancient Rome beyond reading? Join Legio X Fretensis or explore our reenactment directions.
