Stirrups

From: David Bruce Ferrie <bruce_at_ellechino.demon.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 1998 00:22:21 +0100


Re: Nigel Phillips' comments on stirrups (or the lack of them)

I seem to recall watching a documentary on the BBC at the start of this year about Roman Emperor Trajan's campaign in Dacia (what is now Transylvania). One of the points made in the documentary was that detailed study of the Trajan column, erected to comemmorate the Emperor's magnificent victory, etc, etc., had shown that, although the Roman cavalry of the time had no stirrups, the design of their saddles (high at the back and with 'bulges' at the sides and front to brace the legs against) was such that a full-on cavalry charge with lances was much more feasible than previously thought. And therefore, the Roman cavalry, even without stirrups, could mount a proper charge without sliding off the back of the horses.

Regards,

Bruce Ferrie


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