[gothic-l] Gothic Cavalry Strength

[Bertil Haggman]

Professor Quickley has a good description of cavalry and
Adrianople in _The Evolution of Civilizations_:

"The Roman army, which had conquered most of the known
world by means of the legion, was unable, and probably
unwilling, to transform itself into a force of heavily armed
cavalry when this became necessary in the late fourth century
of our era. As a result, the Roman army, and the civilization
it was supposed to defend, were wiped from the earth by the
charging horsemen of the [Goths and other Germanics], beginning
with the dreadful defeat at Adrianople. The inability of fighting
men to reorganize their ideas and their forces from infantry to
cavalry was one of the vital factors in the replacement of pagan
Classical civilization by Christian Western civilizations."

Remember the Goths were Christians. Personally I think Quigley
is right on the spot here and that the Goths must be placed in a
civilization changing role. The Goths learned steppe nomad warfare
from the Huns and other steppe peoples. They understood the
implications, adapted to the new weapon, which the Romans did not.
and it gave them victory and effected civilizational change.

Note then that cavalry from 700 to 1200 AD became in the form
of the medieval knight established in military tactics. Especially
relevant was this with the Northmen (Normans). Cavalry saved the West
in 732 AD at Tours, for instance.

In my view it is very fruitful to discuss the role of cavalry in its
form of RMA.

Gothically

Bertil

>      As far asI can recolect, Gothic heavy cavalry is mentioned in reports
> about the battle at Hadrianople. Small horses can't bear much armour, so it
> could be sound to conclude that Goths used western breeds of horses.
> Germanic peoples of the middle ages rarely emplyd cavalry in battle. One
> could mentin the Battle of Hastings, where Anglo-Saxon infantry faced Norman
> cavalry. Or the account  of Battle of Maldon.
>      Gaul supplied great Chargers to the Roman Army. Perhaps they got to be
> used throughout central Europe?



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