Cataphracts were the most heavily armoured form of cavalry in the ancient world, with riders and mounts both clad in heavy armour. Originating among the wealthiest nobles of various central Asian steppe tribes, such as the Massegatae and Scythians, they were adopted and adapted by several major empires. The Achaemenid Persians, Seleucids, Sassanians and eventually the Romans and their Byzantine successors. Usually armed with long lances, they harnessed the mobility and mass of the horse to the durability and solid fighting power of the spear-armed phalanx. Although very expensive to equip and maintain (not least due to the need for a supply of suitable horses), they were potential battle winners and remained in use for many centuries. Erich B Anderson assesses the development, equipment, tactics and combat record of cataphracts (and the similar clibinarii), showing also how enemies sought to counter them. This is a valuable study of one of the most interesting weapon systems of the ancient world.

Anderson takes great care

to explain the gradual transition that the Roman Empire underwent from an infantry-centric

army to a cavalry-centric one. Pressed by the urgent need to protect its weakening borders

against barbarian incursions, the Roman army valued mobility as the primary attribute. The

book does a great job of clearly distinguishing different types of Roman armoured cavalry. It

goes an extra step further as to even cover the famed Byzantine cataphracts as well. Kunwon Saw, Freelance

This book is aimed at the general reader, rather than the more academic audience. As a result we avoid too many deeply technical discussions, and instead focus on the battlefield use of the cataphract and the development of the equipment used by them over the millennium that the type was in use.



Read the complete review here. History of War, John Rickard

I have read somewhere that cataphracts were the “Tiger Tanks” of the ancient empires…. Heavily armored, powerful, awesome, mobile but rather slow, and very expensive. Whether cataphracts were worth the cost is an ongoing debate.



This book is a detailed account of the known history and development of cataphracts. From their origins in central Asia, to the Parthians, the Persians, the Romans and finally, the Byzantines.



Every battle in which the cataphracts were known to have been involved, is described in detail, with emphasis on the contribution of the cataphracts. The battle descriptions are excellent, and I enjoyed Erich B Anderson’s writing style. My only regret is that there are no maps.



There are extensive notes and a bibliography for those who wish to delve deeper.



I am happy to recommend this very interesting book, and to add it to my own library. Dr John Viggers

This volume, from independent scholar Anderson, is the first comprehensive survey of heavy armored cavalry – dubbed clibanarii, cataphracti, and more – that played a particularly important role in the military history of Late Antiquity… This is a good survey of the history of heavy cavalry in the ancient world, covering arms, equipment, organization, tactics, and battles New York Military Affairs

This is a valuable study of one of the most interesting troop types of the ancient world. The Armourer Incorporating Classic Arms & Militaria - May 2017

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