Classicism, barbarism and Roman warfare: the figure of the cavalryman in the Late Roman Empire

Abstract

This paper will discuss the image of the cavalryman in the sources of the late Roman Empire. It aims to refute Anthony Kaldellis’ thesis on the preface of the History of the wars of Justinian. Unlike the American scholar, I argue here that much of the authors of the time, including Procopius, were favourable to the development of cavalry in the Roman army. This demonstraties a significant change in Roman atitudes towards warfare. Indeed, while the legionary infantryman was seen as a major symbol of the Roman military ethos during the early Empire, the mounted warrior gains visibility in the sources from the late third century onwards. This change is due to the raising of State guerrilla warfare to the rank of main defensive strategy by the late Roman Empire and has also connections with the emulation of “barbarian” military tactics. It goes along with a renewal of the official dicourse on mounted archery, once depreciated by classical authors. Julian, Procopius and Agathias do not hesitate to make of the ...