Time to Train Byzantine Cavalry

[TWS]

I wonder how long it took to train the different types/units of Byzantine cavalrymen? Were they trained from 'scratch' or did they recruit from people who were regular horsemen?

Thanks!

[Robert Vermaat]

I'm sure that, like most armies, a recruit with experience would be preferred, but we know from many occasiosns, including the Roman army, that recruits would be trained from scratch if necessary. Where specialists were concerned, such as horse archers, it was common practise for centuries to enlist these en bloc from outside the Empire. This practise continued into Byzantine times. However, when larger number were needed, non-specialist recruits were trained, who would by logic not have any prior experience in horse-archery.

[TWS]

Thank you. Are there any primary sources as to how long they took to train an individual trooper or raise a unit from scratch? I know they hired folks for their skills sometimes 'en masse'. The Varangian guard were obviously preferred from a particular ethnic group or what they believed was a single ethnic group. I'm not sure how monolithic the Germanic/Norse/Rus world was at that time.

Did the Byzantines settle folks about like the Romans did? E.g. Sarmatians in Britain, German groups in various places.

I am trying to learn more about Byzantine era specifically the themata, tagmata and Komenian eras. Would this be more of a 'Roman' forum topic as most of what I see is Ancient Greek related on this part of the forum.

Again thank you very much for your answer! It was very informative now like a kid in a candy store I just want more :-D

[hoplite14gr]

I think Procopios somewhere mentions two years for a cataphract.

A weekends archer like me took 1 year and a half to shoot moving targets with a hunnic bow.
I guess daily training would cut the time substantially.

The Varangians started as Swedish(?)Vikings with some Slavic followers. In late 11th century an Anglo-Saxon continent is mentioned. Russians and Crimean Goths even Germans found their way into the guard. We can say with some degree of security that it was a "northern legion".

Westerners with cavalry skill were more probably incorporated in the "LATINIKON" regiment.

Hope I have helped

[TWS]

Thank you that was very informative especially the link.