• ARCHAEOLOGY
  • Military science
    • The Corpus Equitum
    • The equipment of the Romans troops
    • The experimental project
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The equipment of the Roman troops

Although the equipment of the troops and the horses ought to be the same for the entire army, there was difference in quality and design in this related to the status of the horseman (the legionnaires received better wages than their colleagues of the wings and the mixed troops).

The troopers wore military sandals (caligae), leather trousers (bracae), a short tunic of red linen, a leather vest (subarmalis) that protected the uniform against the chaving of his weapons and a coat of mail (lorica hamata) or a bronze or iron hauberk (lorica squamata).

The headpieces or helms of the horsemen were very different than those of the infantry: the neck protection was much smaller and there was no protection at the front of it. There was however, a special protection that covered the ears and the finish of hammered iron or bronze was particularly precise (often it looked like a human head of hair. Some helms actually had real human hair, or horse mane or bear coat, twisted to frails.)

The left flank of the trooper was protected by his scutcheon (clipeus), that had a six edged or oval form (Gallic influence), probably decorated with known symbols to the legionnaires such as wings, horns, lightnings. Experiments make clear that it was inevitable that the scutcheon was fastened with a strap as to have the left hand available to keep the reins. In case of an emergency the horseman could let the reins and easily take the clipeus in order to protect himself.

The weapons were handled with the right hand: the lance (hasta) that was kept against the arm, or the long sword (spatha). The spatha was in its sheath, at the right side of the trooper, attached with a military strap (cingulum). To the left dangled the poniard (pugio). Often a quiver with short javelins (iaculi) hung over the right flank of the horse, attached to the pommel at the right behind of the saddle.

The horse was also lead with the left hand during a battle as well as with the legs and feet and the balancing movements of the rider (undoubtedly the trooper also used his voice). Analyses of the remains of Roman horses show that they were a bit higher than those of the Gaulish (which measured between 1,38 m. and 1,53 m. height). Distinctive horse breed with different qualities were examined by the Roman army. Horse breed were crossed in order to obtain the best from every strain and to heighten the withers.

The horse saddle that was used by the Romans is in fact the improved version of that used by the Gaulish. As unmistakable rulers in the field of horse riding the Gaulish used the saddle already a century before Caesar. The saddle existed of a wooden saddle bow and four bonze pommels, it was covered with leather and did not have stirrups. The rider was firm in the saddle by the use of the pommels by which the thigh bones or the lower back were stuck during the various manoeuvres. The saddle was kept at place by a long leather strap tightened to the belly of the horse and another around its back. To make it look nice the straps were decorated with silver metallic blinks in the form of little moons, and others. To protect the back of the horse against the chaving of the saddle a piece of sheep fleece was laid under a long and stout saddle carpet.

With the help of a Roman saddle all kinds of equipment can be transported, that are attached to the pommels and to the leather straps. For instance the coat (paenula), the basin (patera), or a net with rations. The words of the historical philosopher Flavius Arrianes make us realise that the Roman horse rider was well trained and toughened. He survived many Gaulish and Iberian tackles while in the meantime he remembered the names that were used in their languages (petrinos, Cantabrinian attack).

The bridle looked somewhat the same as the modern version, but was also decorated with little metal forms.

The Romans used also a sort of bridle, and specific bits, that were extremely hard in the mouth of the horse. We do not use that kind of war bits although we have become aware that his material, for which a very poor hand is demanded, gives the rider more control over the horse.

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