Campanian Cavalry
Heavy Cavalry(0.6.7)Side / Back
Short description
The Campanian Cavalry are superb heavy horsemen from southern Italy. They are best use as shock cavalry.
Description
The Campanian Cavalry are superb heavy horsemen from southern Italy. Campania was inhabited at first by the Oscans and later by the Etruscans. The main settlement of Campania is believed to have been founded by the Etruscans around 600 BC, with the name of 'Capue' and the resulting Latin name of 'Capua'. The region of Campania fell under the control of the Romans in 343 BC, during the 1st Samnite War. They are a high-status group in both the social and economic sense. Rome relied heavily on them, indeed they were given Roman citizenship, and a monument was erected in their honour.
Armed with the Greek Xyston lance and the Kopis slashing sword, they are best used as shock cavalry. During the Second Punic War (218-201 BC), they defected from the Romans to the Carthaginians after the battle of Cannae in August 216 BC. When the Romans recaptured Capua, they put a great deal of the population to the sword, thus ending the great tradition of heavy shock cavalry for the Romans. Prior to this, they had served as elite mercenary cavalry throughout the Western Mediterranean.