Scutarii Cavalry
Missile Cavalry(0.6.7)Side / Back
Short description
The lavishly equipped Iberian heavy cavalry were elite heavy cavalry of note, that used the lance to deliver devastating shock charges.
Description
The heavy cavalry were formed from among the kin, aristocrats and personal retainers of the Iberian petty kings. They were a warrior elite, lavishly equipped cavalry bred to a life of raiding, warring and vendetta. The horse enjoyed great importance in the social and military life of the Iberian elites, and Spain was rich in wild horses, creating mounts that were fast and of great stamina and beauty. It may have been the Iberians that invented the horseshoe in the fourth century BC, which improved the military potential of cavalry. The Iberians decorated their mounts with care, using bells and a prominent, distinctive frontal ornament attached to the brow.
In their gear and fighting style one can see the Hellenistic influences transmitted into the Iberians of southern and eastern Spain, through centuries of trade and cultural exchange with both Greeks and Phoenicians. Hardened through the endemic warfare of the region, and lavishly equipped by a wealthy society, these elite cavalry formed the hammer of any Iberian host.
This warrior is a reconstruction of the figures illustrated on the famous 2nd/1st century BC 'vase of the armoured warriors' found at Liria (Valencia). They wore corselets of mixed construction, including scale armour, iron ring mail and thickly-woven esparto grass matting. These warriors also wore cap-like Iberian helmets of bronze.
They carried large, oval scutum shields, reflecting the cultural contact with their Celtiberian neighbours of the hinterland. Their principal weapon, however, was the lance, with a long iron spearhead. The mounts of these heavy cavalry were also heavily armoured in the distinctive scale armour of these warriors.
The petty Iberian kingdoms of the region known to ancient cartographers as "Turdetania" were blessed with lands well-endowed with precious metals, especially silver, and possessing great agricultural fertility, being watered by the Baetis River. Turdetania and the neighbouring lands of Oretania, Bastetani, Contestani and Edetani were inhabited by a patchwork of native petty kingdoms formed around wealthy, sophisticated and highly stratified urban sites that engaged in regional and long-distance trade - and endemic warfare.
Ruled by a warlike aristocracy of warrior princes, the Iberian kingdoms were engaged in a never ending struggle for power and supremacy against both one another and their Punic, Celtiberian and Lusitanian neighbours.
The Iberian heavy cavalry were found as mercenaries in eastern and southern Spain; Iberian aristocrats were notoriously fickle in their loyalties, and could be found in the armies of invaders. The Barcids established a hegemonic dominion in Spain because of their capacity to persuade, purchase or coerce contingents from the Iberian aristocrats they made tributaries. In the Second Punic War, success in the Spanish theatre depended upon the number and loyalty of Iberian allies that each protagonist could attract to their banner. When one side was winning, they would attract Iberian kings to their cause, and these allies would then abandon them or even change sides during periods of defeat.
After his defeat at Hibera in 215, Hasdrubal Barca informed the Carthaginian Senate he was unable to march on Italy for fear that in his absence all Spain would be lost to Rome because Carthage would be abandoned by all its Iberian allies (Livy 23.26.2, 28.2, 32.11). The brothers Indibilis and Mandonius, kings of the powerful Ilergetes, were critical in the Punic victory against the Scipio brothers in 211 (Polybius 10.6.2, 7.1; Livy 25.32-39; Appian, Iber: 16.61-63); their defection to Scipio in 209 was a great blow to Carthage (Polybius 9.11.3-4).
The Romans and Carthaginians both relied on noble hostages as surety for their Iberian allies. When the Romans succeeded in freeing Iberian hostages from Carthaginian strongholds (as at Saguntum in 217 and Carthago Nova in 209), and made lavish acts of generosity to Iberian noble captives, he succeeded in detaching Iberian allies from Carthage to Rome (just as Hannibal Barca was doing in Italy!)(Polybius 3.97.2-99.9; Livy 22.22.3-21; 24.42.9-10; Zon. 9.1.2-3). Throughout the war in Spain Carthaginian armies were constantly tied up operating against "revolting" Spanish tributaries and allies rather than operating against Rome (i.e. the "Tartessian" revolt 216, Livy 23.26.4-27.8, 24.41.1).