2002/04/01 by S. M. Perevalov · 2 citations
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #Ancient and Medieval Archaeology Studies #Eurasian Exchange Networks #Historical, Religious, and Philosophical Studies #Battle #History #Ancient history #Classics
paper · doi:10.2753/aae1061-195940047
published in Anthropology & Archeology of Eurasia 40(4), 7-21 (M. E. Sharpe)
openalex publication_date 2002/04/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
Heavy cavalry formation, introduced by the Sarmatian tribes during the first centuries C.E., can be rightfully considered their most ingenious invention, which subsequently had a great influence on the formation of medieval knighthood (Cardini 1981; Russian translation Cardini 1987). This cavalry was later named "cataphracts" (from the Greek kataphraktos, mailed). The term is borrowed from classical tradition and, in general, it reflects the fact that that the issues of Sarmatians' defensive armament are studied more extensively than others in modern literature. In the present article, less-studied elements of Sarmatian military techniques and tactics are explored: the way of using the main weapon of the cataphracts—a lance [contus] and their horse-riding posture in a battle. We have used the two most informative groups of sources—written sources and drawings. The chronological framework for the article is the first and second centuries.