Roman Praetorian Cavalry

Description

The Praetorian cavalry are depicted here as they appeared from the reign of Tiberius onwards. Tiberius was considered the second founder of the Praetorian Guard; thus, many Praetorian shields were decorated, like this unit's, with the Scorpio - the star-sign under which Tiberius was born. The hexagonal shield appears to have been common among elite cavalry units, though initially it seems that it was used by Cavalry Alae of Germanic origin after their native fashion. The helmet is of the Koblenz-Bubenheim type and is suitably decorated with bronze. The armour is bronze scale-mail (lorica squamata), and the scales are alternately polished and tinned, so that they alternate in colour. This flashiness was seen as appropriate for the elite Praetorian cavalry. Like most Roman cavalrymen of the period, the Praetorian cavalry were armed with spathae - longer versions of the gladius designed for use from horseback. The soldier also carries a long ash spear with an iron head and butt, used when charging. It is likely that Trajan's Equites Singulares Augusti (described below) were also similarly equipped. It is also likely that everywhere the Praetorian Guard were involved in fighting, be it in Germania under Germanicus Caesar, in Dacia under Trajan, in the East against the Parthians, or in Marcus Aurelius' Marcomannic Wars, the cavalry were there too.