Romano-Thracian cataphract; Chatalka, c. AD 75−100
The armoured cavalryman from the Chatalka burial in Bulgaria
may have worn what Arwidson calls ‘belt armour’ – a
combination of iron plates, scales and splints in the Iranian
tradition. The neck is protected by a thick iron gorget, following
the Thracian–Macedonian style; it was made in two pieces
connected by a strap, and the outer surface was originally
painted red. Surviving individual rings show that it was worn
over a separate ringmail collar. Note his magnificent masked
helmet (see reconstructions on pages 8-9). The Chatalka burial
also included a beautiful sword of Chinese type.
Clibanarius of a Numerus Palmyrenorum; Dura Europos,
mid-3rd century AD
This ‘super-heavy’ cavalryman is reconstructed from the
famous clibanarius graffito at Dura Europos (Tower 17). Note
his conical mask helmet, and laminated armour covering
torso, legs and arms. The limb defences consisted mainly of
plates overlapping upwards, as required to throw off enemy
spears running up the left arm, unprotected by a shield.
Composite scale-and-plate armour similar to Iranian or
Palmyrene models, as portrayed in the graffito, covers the
trunk. Thigh protection was often associated with greaves,
and was found at Dura made of copper alloy and lined with
linen. His mount is stronger than the usual Arab breeds, and is
protected by the iron-scale trapper found at Dura.
Clibanarius of Vexillatio equitum catafractariorum
clibanoriorum; Claudiopolis, c. AD 350
We are able to reconstruct quite a good image of richlyequipped
cataphractarii and clibanarii from iconography
together with descriptions in the sources (Pan. IV, 22; Amm.
Marc. XVI, 10, 8; Jul. Imp., Or. in Constantii Laudem, I, 37ff ). The
predilection of Constantius II for such troops is attested by the
numerous regiments raised by him, and quoted in his funerary
oration pronounced by Julian. The reconstruction is based
partially on the Dura Europos material, but note the ridgehelmet
prefiguring the famous 7th-century Sutton Hoo
Germanic specimen; this fits well with a description of
clibanarii wearing face-mask helmets (‘personati’). Claudian, in
his Panegyrics, describes the distinctions of the armoured
cavalrymen of the Imperial retinue: sashes around the waist,
peacock feathers on the helmet, and gilded and silvered
cuirasses and shoulder-guards. Iconography attests the use of
the old-style Roman ‘four-horn’ saddle at least into the first
half of the 5th century.