02-16-2010, 06:28 PM
:lol: Alanus,
No matter how nutty some things turn out to be they can take us in interesting directions. Here I was going a little Arthurian crazy :oops: and then realising that the Cataphractarii were probably out of the picture and then you come out with this brand new information which turned the entire discussion on its head! Well, well, well the Cataphractarii are back in the equation. Things just get stranger and stranger. The comments on horse breeding are interesting and Agraes' account of a Breton battle against the Franks has just rocked my world. I had abandoned the idea that British/Breton cavalry were used the smash the shield wall head on, but it seems as though they did just that and with minimal casualties. That same account makes me think that the 'four sided weapon' Bedwyr is said to have used was in far greater useage than I thought. It said that the Franks were completelty unprepared for the Breton's agressive and terrrifying cavalry and if they stayed in close ranks even then they had no defense because the javelins would take them down one by one. I'm also starting to think the Tailfali were in fact the official cavalry of "Arthur". However when it comes to lance armed cavalry I must accept almost defeat. The only cavalry Alae to use lances were likely the Scutarii Aureliaci and the Tailfali whereas the rest of the cavalry likely used swords and javelins with light leather scale armour.
On a new front I'm starting to find a connection between the many different versions of Christianity tied together with paganism to form the mysticism and magic of Arthurian legend. 8) More on that next time. In my own humble opinion I think they bred the horses for courage, speed and stamina. A deadly combination in gureilla style fighting force.
No matter how nutty some things turn out to be they can take us in interesting directions. Here I was going a little Arthurian crazy :oops: and then realising that the Cataphractarii were probably out of the picture and then you come out with this brand new information which turned the entire discussion on its head! Well, well, well the Cataphractarii are back in the equation. Things just get stranger and stranger. The comments on horse breeding are interesting and Agraes' account of a Breton battle against the Franks has just rocked my world. I had abandoned the idea that British/Breton cavalry were used the smash the shield wall head on, but it seems as though they did just that and with minimal casualties. That same account makes me think that the 'four sided weapon' Bedwyr is said to have used was in far greater useage than I thought. It said that the Franks were completelty unprepared for the Breton's agressive and terrrifying cavalry and if they stayed in close ranks even then they had no defense because the javelins would take them down one by one. I'm also starting to think the Tailfali were in fact the official cavalry of "Arthur". However when it comes to lance armed cavalry I must accept almost defeat. The only cavalry Alae to use lances were likely the Scutarii Aureliaci and the Tailfali whereas the rest of the cavalry likely used swords and javelins with light leather scale armour.
On a new front I'm starting to find a connection between the many different versions of Christianity tied together with paganism to form the mysticism and magic of Arthurian legend. 8) More on that next time. In my own humble opinion I think they bred the horses for courage, speed and stamina. A deadly combination in gureilla style fighting force.
Nicholas
