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Written by: Dave Galvin

Consist of a long slashing sword (spatha) some 26 - 36" long and 1.5 - 3 inches wide. This was carried on the right hand side of the body.

Often Roman commanders liked to use their cavalry after infantry engagements to run down those trying to flee the battle. The sword here would come into its own and the lighter armed cavalrymen be more adept at chasing fugitives than their heavily armed colleagues. Charging at ranks of massed infantry with heavily armoured horsemen occurred at a slightly later date but in the 1st Century AD it would have proved useless, unless the enemy had been broken into smaller groups fighting to the death.

A shield (clipeus) was carried in the left hand during combat and was constructed of flat plywood with a bronze or leather edging. It gave almost total body protection to the horseman and where it could not, greaves were brought by those wealthy enough, to protect the loser leg. A large central boss protected the hand. Shields could be oval, round or hexagonal decorated with the unit colours or religious tokens. The hand used to hold the reins i.e. the left hand, also held the shield in combat at the same time. A consummate skill.

A javelin was carried as the main strike weapon (hasta). It was approximately six feet long with a leaf shaped spearhead made of iron. Not initially intended for throwing it was a stabbing and thrusting weapon. Smaller javelin (laceae) were used for throwing and a quiver of these would be slung over the saddle horn for the cavalryman to withdraw as necessary.

As regards clothes, he wore a pair of leather trousers (femenalia), a tunic (tunica) and a light coat of maille (lorica squamata or lorica hamata). The maille was waist length to aid dismounting and was double folded across the shoulders. On his head for protection was an iron or bronze helmet with cheek pieces and a neck guard. On his feet he wore either open sandals or boots (caligae). Spurs may have also been used.