12-17-2009, 03:12 AM
Quote:One factor implying the earlier date is that both types seem to have been carried, though the 'thureos' type quickly seems to have become dominant.
On the other hand, the early Third C Kazanluk paintings, which show 'shieldless' Thracian cavalry have been used (by Duncan Head) as evidence that shields were not widespread at this time, favouring a later date for widespread use..... Shielded cavalry invariably used javelins, or 'longche', but unshielded Macedonian 'xystophoroi' armed with the 12 ft 'Xyston' and body armour at least continued in service, apparently, until the second C BC. Further East, their un-shielded compatriots in Seleucid service became even heavier, riding partially armoured horses and adopting 'manica' type armguards ( see pergamum reliefs), 'cataphract' style under Eastern influence....... whoops! Off-topic! Better stop there....D
A few points:
The thureos type is actually fairly rare in representational evidence of Hellenistic shielded cavalrymen. The aspis is by far the most common type found in the evidence where the type of shield carried can be discerned.
Though I haven't read up on it in a while, I believe the Kazanluk paintings are dated to the late fourth or early third century BC, and certainly not precisely, so they aren't really good evidence for the third century anyway. However, the Mustapha Pasha tomb painting and some Alexandrian stelae which definitely are early third century show shieldless cavalrymen. It is at any rate evident that even if cavalrymen did carry shields before Pyrrhus, it didn't become commonplace until after his time.
Shielded cavalry didn't invariably use javelins; there are quite a few representations of such cavalrymen carrying xysta, while the shieldless lancer all but disappears after the 3rd c. BC. What evidence do you have for their existence into the 2nd c. BC?
Ruben
He had with him the selfsame rifle you see with him now, all mounted in german silver and the name that he\'d give it set with silver wire under the checkpiece in latin: Et In Arcadia Ego. Common enough for a man to name his gun. His is the first and only ever I seen with an inscription from the classics. - Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian
He had with him the selfsame rifle you see with him now, all mounted in german silver and the name that he\'d give it set with silver wire under the checkpiece in latin: Et In Arcadia Ego. Common enough for a man to name his gun. His is the first and only ever I seen with an inscription from the classics. - Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian
