Hellenic cataphracts

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The limited availability of Greek conscripts in the east led to an increasing dependence on mercenary forces, whereas in the Hellenistic armies in the west were continuously involved in wars, which soon exhausted local manpower, paving the way for Roman supremacy in the region. The Diadochi were capable of deploying some of the largest armies of their day, and could easily outmatch the numerical strength of either Phillip II or Alexander 's Macedonian full strength contingents. However, the size of the armies participating in different campaigns could vary extremely, from a few thousand to over 70, soldiers. Of these armies, outside Greece, only a fraction would have been of Greek origin, the rest being allied contingents and conscripts from the local population. Lack of manpower was a serious concern for many Hellenistic rulers. The disparity between the manpower reserves available to Rome and to any other Hellenistic monarch had a profound influence on the way in which the opponents made war.

Hellenic cataphracts

EB1: The Hellenistic Kataphraktoi are armored in an expensive combination of lamellar armor and chain. They are to be used as heavy shock cavalry, but have staying power in melee because of the sheer weight of their armor. EB2: An evolution of the heavy cavalry, the kataphraktoi incorporate influences from the advancements of the cavalry nations to the east. If the hetairoi are the hammer of the "hammer and anvil", then the kataphraktoi are a sledge hammer. After suffering heavy losses to the Parthoi and Armenioi Kataphraktoi, the Seleukid and Baktrian empires produced their own versions of these heavy horsemen, both adapting the tactics and style of warfare to Hellenic technology and using superior metalwork to make them even more heavily armored. They are armored in an expensive combination of lamellar armor and chain, with heavy felt sandwiched in the middle. The resulting armor is tough and flexible, but offers outstanding protection. They are to be used as heavy shock cavalry, and have staying power in melee because of the sheer weight of their armor. Their horses are more heavily armored than those of the Hetairoi, but they lack the characteristic fierceness and discipline of the elite Diadochoi cavalry. Historically, Hellenistic Kataphraktoi were at least as good as their Parthoi enemy, but most Seleukeis commanders did not quite understand how to use this cavalry. They won great victories over the Parthoi when supporting the tougher and more elite Hetairoi, compelling the Parthoi to settle for a peace treaty and suzerainty over some of the Seleukid eastern possessions.

The adoption of cataphract-like cavalry formations took hold among the late Roman army during the late 3rd and 4th centuries. Hidden categories: Webarchive template wayback hellenic cataphracts CS1 maint: location Articles with short description Short description is different from Wikidata Articles containing Ancient Greek to -language text Articles containing Latin-language text Articles containing Middle Persian-language text All articles with unsourced hellenic cataphracts Articles with unsourced statements from May Articles containing Greek-language text Articles with unsourced statements from August Articles with unsourced statements from November Articles with unsourced statements from January Articles with unsourced statements from February Articles with unsourced statements from March CS1 maint: location missing publisher, hellenic cataphracts. This initially unexpected and humiliating defeat for Rome was followed by numerous campaigns over the next two centuries entailing many notable engagements such as: the Battle of Cilician GatesMount GindarusMark Antony's Parthian Campaign and finally culminating in the bloody Battle of Nisibis in AD, hellenic cataphracts, which resulted in a slight Parthian victory, hellenic cataphracts, and Emperor Macrinus being forced to concede peace with Parthia.

The Iranians and Persians pioneered armoured cavalry and the Seleucids were the first western, Hellenised power to see their merit for battle. His Egyptian enemies, led by Skopas of Aetolia, placed cavalry on the army's flanks to shield the infantry in the centre. They were unable to defend themselves against the next mighty charge; the entire Egyptian army broke, and Skopas fled to Sidon. This retreat marked the end of Ptolemaic rule in Judea. Seleucid Shock Cavalry Hellenic Cataphracts Incredibly heavy cavalry who can turn the tide of battle with their thunderous charge! Requires Buildings Lv.

Melee Infantry No. Unit Sol. Custom Cost Recru. Ship Spd. Other Faction's Units Grand Campaign 36 1. Odrysian Kingdom. Royal Scythia.

Hellenic cataphracts

By the 7 th and 8 th centuries B. Some were armed lightly and were used to harass the enemy from afar with missiles or to pursue routing troops. Other types of cavalry units were heavily armed, and were used as shock troops to break enemy formations. The most heavily armed cavalry unit in the ancient world was the greatly feared cataphract. It has been pointed out that one of the earliest known depictions of the cataphract can be found in Khwarezm, a region in Central Asia near the Aral Sea. This image portrays a warrior clad in armor, armed with a lance and bow, and mounted on an armored horse. It has been estimated that these cavalrymen were used in the region as early as the 6 th century B.

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In BC, Cleomenes cancelled all debts, pooled and divided the large estates and increased the citizen body by enfranchising 5, Perioikoi and ' metics ' resident foreigners. Perseus had enough grain to last the army ten years - without drawing on harvests - enough money to hire 10, mercenaries for ten years, and field an army of 43, soldiers, a significant improvement compared to the situation of Philip V at Cynoscephalae in BC, who fielded an army of 25, men. Type: sword Attack: 10 Charge: 25 Lethality: 0. Missile Trieres - Eastern Slingers. The fastening system is being consisted by pairs of straps and buckles. Greek colonisation. The cavalry organization differed in the various Hellenistic states. If front-rankers were killed, those behind would lower their spears and step forward to maintain a solid frontline. To take another example, by the mid-third century BC, the Spartan citizen population had decreased to a tiny fraction of what it had been at the time of the Persian Wars Cleomenes' army could only field about 5, men [3]. Some cataphracts fielded by the later Roman Empire were also equipped with heavy, lead-weight darts called Martiobarbuli , akin to the plumbata used by late Roman infantry. Oxford: Osprey.

Iranians deploying cataphracts at some time in their history included the Sarmatians, Parthian dynasty, Sassanid Persians, Armenians, Pergamenes, and later Romans, Byzantines and others. The Romans and Byzantines adopted this type of unit from Iranians, especially from Parthians, after the Battle of Carrhae. Cataphracts were the heavy assault force of most nations that used them, acting as shock troops supported by light or heavy infantry and foot or mounted archers.

Contemporary depictions, however, imply that Byzantine cataphracts were not as completely armored as the earlier Roman and Sassanid incarnation. This is the reason why it depended on the units on its flanks to at least hold off the enemy until he would naturally break from the phalanx's irresistible pressure. Install Steam. The Diadochi were capable of deploying some of the largest armies of their day, and could easily outmatch the numerical strength of either Phillip II or Alexander 's Macedonian full strength contingents. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. The eastern kingdoms of the Ptolemaic , Seleucid , Graeco-Bactrian and Indo Greek kingdoms, had an even more problematic situation. Skirmisher Cavalry. The phalanx was an infantry formation, characterized by dense ranks and pikes sarissas. Heavily armored riders on large horses appear in 4th century BC frescoes in the northern Black Sea region, notably at a time when the Scythians, who relied on light horse archers, were superseded by the Sarmatians. Main article: Greek and Roman artillery. Eastern Javelinmen. Even at Pydna , it took the strange withdrawal of the Macedonian cavalry for the Romans to finally outflank the phalanx and claim a costly victory. By the time of Mithridates VI, we are told that the Pontic army had troops armed in the Roman fashion and by 86 BC Mithridates had created an army of , such troops. Citizen Cavalry. This unt isn't heavily based in historical reality, as most cataphracts in the classical world were used for their single thundering charge, rather than their ability to stay in prolonged melee.