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Riding Into 05 0 IN THIS ISSUE: Fighting from the saddle – horses, camels, and elephants VOL XI, ISSUE 5 WWW.ANCIENT-WARFARE.COM // KARWANSARAY PUBLISHERS KARWANSARAY // WWW.ANCIENT-WARFARE.COM JAN / FEB 2018 US/CN $11.99 €7,50 / CHF 7,50 RIDING INTO 05 0 07412 BATTLE Ancient mounted warfare 74470 0 THEME – ROMAN CAMEL UNITS // THE BATTLE OF THAPSUS // RUNNING WITH THE HORSES SPECIALS – LOOKING AT THE PYDNA MONUMENT // PILA TACTICS // WHO WERE THE VEXILLARII? TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE Publisher: Rolof van Hövell tot Westerflier Managing Director: Jasper Oorthuys Editor: Jasper Oorthuys Proofreader: Naomi Munts THEME: RIDiNG INTO BATTLE Design & Media: Christianne C. Beall Horse cavalry has long played a role in warfare. But other, Design © 2016 Karwansaray Publishers more exotic mounts were also used in the ancient world. Contributors: Duncan B. Campbell, Myke Cole, Murray Dahm, Jan Eschbach, Joseph Hall, Robert C.L. Holmes, Michael Livingston, Paul McDonnell- Staff, Lindsay Powell, Evan Schultheis, Tacticus 16 Riding into history 28 Final fight with elephants Illustrators: Seán Ó’Brógáín, Tomás Ó’Brógáín, Igor Historical introduction The Battle of Thapsus, 46 BC Dzis, Rocío Espin, Jose G. Moran, Johnny Shumate, Graham Sumner 18 Patrolling the desert 38 The Hamippoi Print: Grafi Advies Roman dromedary troops Running with the horses Editorial office 23 Bane of behemoths 43 Keeping the horses fit PO Box 4082, 7200 BB Zutphen, The Netherlands Phone: +31-575-776076 (EU), +1-740-994-0091 (US) Anti-elephant tactics Veterinaries of the Roman army E-mail: [email protected] Customer service: [email protected] Website: www.ancient-warfare.com SPECIAL FEATURES Contributions in the form of articles, letters, re- views, news and queries are welcomed. Please send 6 Physical sources 48 Pila on the battlefield to the above address or use the contact form on The Pydna monument Tekne Taktike, part V www.ancient-warfare.com Subscriptions 14 A man of many talents 54 Serving under a banner Subscriptions can be purchased at www.kp-shop.com, Q. Atilius Primus' tombstone Who were Hyginus' vexillarii? via phone or by email. For the address, see above. Distribution Ancient Warfare is sold through retailers, the internet and by subscription. The exclusive distributor for the DEPARTMENTS UK and the Republic of Ireland is Seymour Distribution Ltd, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PT, United 4 Preliminaries 58 On the cover Kingdom. Phone: +44 (0)207 429 4000. News and updates Fearful smell... Copyright Karwansaray B.V. All rights reserved. Noth- ing in this publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written consent of the publishers. Any 18 individual providing material for publication must en- 6 sure that the correct permissions have been obtained before submission to us. Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders, but in few cases this proves impossible. The editor and publishers apologize for any unwitting cases of copyright transgressions and would like to hear from any copyright holders not acknowledged. Articles and the opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the editor and/or publishers. Advertising in Ancient War- fare does not necessarily imply endorsement. Ancient Warfare is published every two months by Kar- wansaray B.V., Rotterdam, The Netherlands. PO Box 1110, 3000 BC Rotterdam, The Netherlands. ISSN: 1874-7019 Printed in the European Union. SMELLY SENTINELS SET IN STONE A look at the units of camel cavalry An analysis of the visual imagery on used by the Romans to guard and the Paullus monument and what it patrol the frontier in Syria and Arabia. says about Hellenistic warfare. Ancient Warfare XI-5 3 Editorial Picking themes for Ancient War- fact with what I’ve said above, Broad themes, not tied to a fare is not as easy as it seems. As then it’s clear that some topics, specific person or campaign don't you know, we used to take sugges- which may be very worthy of suffer from these problems as tions, allow you to vote online for an article or two, but not of an much (as you'll see in this issue). your favourites, and then do our entire theme, may never get a They allow me to collect wide- best to make those themes into re- chance. That issue has been ex- ranging topics, some of which ality the year after. Experience has acerbated by the introduction may have been covered a bit in shown that while that approach is of our new regular features: the past. Cavalry was certainly im- fun for the reader and usually fun Grave Matters, Tekne Taktike, portant in the ancient world, and for the editor, it can also lead to and Roman Army in Detail. I we've dedicated one theme to themes that are difficult to bring to certainly like those, and I hope it already (issue VI.3), but horses PRELIMINARIES life. This is generally due to a lack you do too, but it leaves me are not the only possible means of sources, a lack of quality im- with even less space for spe- of transport on the ancient battle- ages, or a dearth of expert authors. cial features. So in future I’ll be field. I hope you’ll enjoy this issue. The main disadvantage of trying to keep themes on the having themes at all is obvi- shorter side and feature more ous if you’ve been reading An- unrelated articles. That should cient Warfare for many years: it also make the magazine more leaves very little space for any- attractive if the theme is not Jasper Oorthuys Editor, Ancient Warfare thing else. If you combine that really ‘up your alley’. Warriors duel on a tiny Bronze Age masterpiece What was thought to be an un- tacular archaeological discovery sealstone was discovered lying assuming sealstone researchers in Greece in more than half a face-down near the right arm at the University of Cincinnati century” when it was uncovered of the Griffin Warrior. When are now describing as “one of in an olive grove near the ancient cleaned, the meticulously the finest works of prehistoric city of Pylos in 2015. carved combat scene was fully Greek art ever discovered.” The grave was found un- revealed, etched on a piece of The “miniature masterpiece” disturbed and intact. Study of hard stone measuring just 3.6 portrays close combat between the site has revealed not only centimeters (just over 1.4 inch- fighters at a moment of high dra- the well-preserved remains of es) in length. What makes the ma. A semi-naked, long-haired what is believed to have been a piece remarkable is that many warrior engages a formidable powerful Mycenaean warrior or of the scene’s details, such as foe. His opponent is armed with priest buried around 1500 BC, the intricate ornamentation of a spear, carries a large shield and but also a trove of Aegean Greek the weapons and clothing, be- wears a high crested helmet. In Bronze Age period finds. come clear only when viewed the beautifully composed scene, The arms and equipment of using photomicroscopy tech- the lightly armed fighter plunges the figures depicted on the so- niques because of the small his sword into the other man’s called Pylos Combat Agate evoke size of the piece and the pro- exposed neck. A vanquished op- scenes of one-to-one combat de- nounced veining in the stone. ponent already lies sprawled life- scribed in Homer’s Iliad. – Lindsay Powell less at his feet. Originally encrusted The exquisite engraving ap- with limestone, the pears on a seal stone of agate. It was found in The true colours of the the treasure-laden tomb Combat Agate after of the so-called ‘Grif- cleaning. © Courtesy of The fin Warrior’, which was Department of Classics hailed as “the most spec- University of Cincinatti. Ancient Warfare XI-5 4 Finds may identify First Punic War naval battle Archaeologists believe they have cast pieces is found the site of the Battle of the completed it will Egadi Islands, the pivotal struggle be possible to at- of the first war between Rome tempt to translate and Carthage (264-241 BC). the messages. Working off the northwest- Particularly ern coast of Sicily between striking was a the Aegadian Islands of Lev- Montefortino- anzo and Marettimo during the style helmet. Thir- 2017 season, archaeologists of teen have so far the Soprintendenza del Mare been recovered in collaboration with the Al- from the seafloor, tofondalisti divers of the GUE but this one is (Global Underwater Explorers) unique on ac- found an extraordinary array count of its deco- of ancient artefacts lying on ration. At the pin- One of the rostra the seabed. Among them were nacle of the domed protective (top) and Montefor- two bronze rams (rostra) of an- headgear, the helmet features a tino helmets found cient warships and ten bronze lion decoration. The armourer this season. © Courtesy of the Ega- helmets from the marines who cleverly used the crest holder as di Project 2017. fought on board them. the head of the crouching lion. Attached to the front of the Its front paws stretch out part Carthaginians ship at sea level, the rostrum way over the front of the hel- was the device which weap- met, while the hind legs and tail clashed on 10 onized the ancient vessel. A straddle the back. Decorated March 241 BC. On commander would attempt to Montefortino helmets are ex- that day, the fleet of Roman con- ram the opponent’s ship with his tremely rare and this specimen sul C. Lutatius Catulus battled own, breaking the adversary’s may possibly have belonged to Hanno’s and won.
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