Adrian Goldsworthy - Cavalry in the Roman Army - an overview

Salvete Omnes,

and another short entry of the day - 

Again, dr Adrian Goldsworthy and his podcasts. This time dear 'dottore' published a video on his channel - an overview and introduction to the Cavalry in the Roman Army.

The link to the video - here. 

This is a 1h 45 minutes of pure enjoyment on the subject dear to my heart. 

Looking forward to listed to the next part of this podcast on the cavalry- 

and reenactment 

Valete 

Cheiron1, vol 3 - 2023

 Salvete Omnes,

 so the Summer 2023- the Summer Solstice takes place today - the dog days will be aplenty.
Let us hope for peace in the world.

training of Achilles

Otherwise, a short entry today 

we have been there already - namely I introduced Cheiron: The International Journal of Equine and Equestrian History in 2021.

Now, they published the new issue - their first of 2023, already a volume 3.  The digital articles are 'libre' for you to download and enjoy -

the articles:  the ancient Egypt's pharaoh and his horse , ancient Persia and horse rations at Persepolis, Roman warhorse in the Funerary reliefs in Panonia, Thoroughbred history through the Royal Mares and finally the observations from the recent  Irish archaeological excavations .

plus  three book reviews etc.

enjoy

plus some sketches of mine to break the mundane - :)

Valete

How Did Roman Cataphracts Go To War? DOCUMENTARY

 Salvete Omnes,
a short entry

I would like to invite you to watch this production  on the ancient  Roman Cataphract, his horse and  equipment .
From Invicta - How Did Roman Cataphracts Go To War? 

comparable armored riders aka cataphracts (albeit with much different saddles) from across the Eurasian continent of the Chinese Northern dyansties -
the Northern Wei

 

and Nortehrn Qi 

 

and the Parthian and  Sassanid Persian Caathracts:

 

valete!

R. Fabbri and Cricus Maximus

 Salvete Omnes,

 

Having taken a short break from the XVII century Polish-Turkish  wars and horse tribulations I decided to read a novel of the magnificent European and Mediterranean past i.e., the ancient Rome.
There are many writers on the UK and USA sides of the genre, and since I have not yet received the newest one by Harry Sidebottom so I picked  one novel  by Robert Fabbri titled Vespasian, Tribune of Rome. Vespasian takes place during the reign of the princeps Tiberius and his family and his praetorian prefect Sejanus' rule in the capital, involves our main characters getting pulled into many schemes and machinations of then Roman elites. The world depicted in the novel is of passions, warrior-craft, brutality, hot tempers, slaves and pitiless slavery, punishment and pain, suffering, intrigue, quest for power and even love and obviously hatred  - you can read the biography of Vespasianus on Wikipedia and you will get the idea what the potential for a good adventurous novel his life had and this novel may have. The hero is young, perhaps too wise for his years, but then he had to grow up fast and furiously if he wants to survive this ride - yep, there is lots of riding too.
And Swiss-UK author, Robert Fabbri,. delivers the story in his epic style and with dramatic attention to minutiae. Ergo, we, a reader, get a fine epic story, with clearly described heroes and villains and without judgement on their actions. The sidekick from Sabura one Magnus is a gem too.

So I finished it in no time, it was enjoyable and entertaining, and among its scenes and places there is a long sequence devoted to the chariot race  in the famous Circus Maximus of Rome. The scene at the races is important for the book in general and for the characters in the story, and from what I know about the actual Vespasian most likely  important for the whole 9 novel series (I am gearing up to read the 2nd one in the series). 
I could say that if you have an itching to read some ancient Roman history novel this one is quite good. 

Last year I posted this entry about Roman chariots and horse, and here I would like to add some more images in the series on this subject - the ancient Roman horse and its environment. 

 on Academia there are many articles, eg -  
Sinclair Bell - The Costume of the Roman Charioteer -
Virgil at the races -  

The Circus and the Cosmopolis -

 

 a painting of imaginary race at the Circus Maximus  by Viviano Codazzi and Domenico Gargiulo - from my favorite XVII century

Valete

ps

all images are from Wiki Commons

Vergilius Vaticanus

Salve,
The Vatican Apostolic Library has digitalized one of two oldest surviving Late Antique manuscripts - which contains parts of the Virgil's works collection (originally the manuscript might have contained the entire Aeneid, Georgics, and Ecolgues) - nice Wiki page in French. Publius Vergilius Maro(70BC-19BC)- Roman poet writing in the Homeric epic traditions - if you have studied Latin or planing to study it, then  Vergilius' works may be part of the study and enjoyment of the Latin literature.

I have corralled some horses and riders from the manuscript - end of IV century AD Romans and their mythical history.

the entrance to the Elysian Fields

Roman imperial imagery - Trojans and king Latinus on the throne

the other Roman manuscript held at the Vatican Library is the so called Vergilius Romanu - here a scholarly article on this late Roman manuscript.  

Nota bene, two  libre books, from my most favorite museum - MET, The Age of Spirituality - a catalogue of exhibit held at the MET in 1977-78 season; and the collection of articles of The Age of Spirituality, A Symposium. So if you wondering about the Late Rome and her art etc , then these works provide  rather easy access to 'pre-end of history' scholarship and commentary. 

valete

Roman chariots and chariot racing etc

Salvete Omnes,

and since yesteryear  we have had the brand new month of February, and new post in the older theme - the ancient Roman vehicles etc.
This time a few images showing the Roman quadriga or 4-horse chariot - the most extreme of the Roman vehicle use for the specator show and pleasure - Academia article on the topic here - with the driver or charioteer having a short but perhaps if victorious then almost very celebrity-like moment in time.
Rome's Circus Maximus was the most famous ancient Roman chariot racing stadium.

Let us start with some of the Roman mosaics-
Barcelona, Spain - circus 
 

 Villa Roman del Casale

Lugdunum - musée gallo-romain de Fourvière - in Lyon





stone relieves and  funerary monuments - sarcophagi etc

 



 
Napoli, Italy Museum


Finally, some modern connections and reconstructions  have been developed for the film - mostly due to the amazing popularity of the American Christian novel titled Ben-Hur, A Tale of The Christ by Lew Wallace, the most popular novel of the XIX century .
there has been attempts at reconstruction of the Roman chariot racing - in the feature movies like Ben Hur (3 version - 1925,1959 & 2016, all spectacular and ahistorical but I do prefer the Charlton Heston's version, there was a short film made in 1907, can be viewed here) -  and in more documentary fashion lately the Timelines' production on the  Chariot Racing.

Also, last year  the author and equestrian reenactor Mike Loades  developed his new video production  on the Roman circus chariots and it can watched here. I am yet to watch it ..

Valete
ps
all images are from Wiki Commons

Year of the Pig 2019 - wild boar hunt

Salvete Omnes,
 in Chinese Zodiac we just  have started the Year of the Pig - 豬年 .

Happy New Year - :)
In the past one of the famously dangerous (see my post about Borysthenes Alanus of emperor Hadrian) exploits for warriors and hunters was the feat of wild boar hunting from horseback -


Below please find some ancient images showing pig hunting from horseback in art ...
nota bene aside from the horses  the dogs played the most important role in this hunt along with hunt footmen-attendants.
 

 
 
 

 

 

 

 
 



 

 


 
Valete
ps
all images from Wiki Commons