Roman Military Equipment
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Roman Military Equipment
 

Horse Harnesses and Armour

Below equipment of both the legionary cavalry as well as the auxiliary cavalry (alae).


Bonn Landesmuseum
Gravestones of cavalry soldiers in full attack

RGZM Mainz

Horse Harness
 

Flavian Period

Decoration of the horse`s harness was a primary way to show off rank and wealth, below examples in bronze, with silver cover and delicate niello intarsia decorations are from the 1st century AD, likely the Flavian Period.

Leiden Museum

Nijmegen Museum, and British Museum.

Detail Images from the examples shown in the British Museum, London, UK

Vindonissa Museum, CH

 

Carnuntum


Drawings from Roman Military Equipment by Bishop & Coulston, Edition 2, 2006 © M.C. Bishop

First century AD horse decoration (ca Flavian times)

 

2-3rd Century Period

 Part of a horse's harness

 


Drawings from Roman Military Equipment by Bishop & Coulston, Edition 2, 2006 © M.C. Bishop

Phallic and Lunar hangers, luck charms (Nijmegen Museum)



 

4th - 5th Century Period

Horse harness in silver, guilded, British Museum, London


 

Other Horse Equipment (Horse Shoes, Saddle, ...)

A typical "hippo-sandal" to protect the horse on rough roads for a short while, thise were tied to the hooves.  Leiden and Nijmegen Museums

Bronze fittings for a Roman saddle, front and rear horn from Nijmegen (for of those would have been used for a saddle, two smaller ones to the front, two bigger ones for the rear)

Roman saddle horns with inscriptions, Edinburgh Scottish National Museum


Drawings from Roman Military Equipment by Bishop & Coulston, Edition 2, 2006 © M.C. Bishop
 

Additional Horse Harness and Saddle Strap decorations:

Horse Harness, from Nijmegen Museum

 

For more Parade Horse Armour click here

A horse head armour for the parade, from the famous Straubing hoard, Germany

Parts of horse armour and an example of a cavalry lance / spear

Nijmegen Museum
 

Modern Recreations of Roman Horse Equipment


 

Related Sections of the Roman Numismatic Gallery:

The  Location of Roman Legions from Caesar to ca. 300 AD is summarized in a table.
Military Equipment
Military Diploma
Roman Legionary Bricks
Countermarks of roman legions on coins are shown in the Legionary Countermark section.
Coins making reference to roman legions are to be found in the Legionary Coin section.
Wars and Victories on Roman coins.
Roman Military Main Page