The Mysterious Absence of Stables at Roman Cavalry Forts

Mule

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Mine would love to get into the house. I wouldn't be surprised to see them sitting down with their hooves up, watching the TV;)
 

Cortez

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Very interesting, thanks for posting that. Having lived over stables in several large establishments in the US I can confirm that living right next to (or over) the horses is a very comforting experience.
 

JJS

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Fascinating read, and one that combined my two favourite things: horses and history. Thanks for sharing, K_B :)
 

honetpot

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Perhaps they kept them at home, like cattle below living rooms, as under floor heating.
'However, it's important to note that even after the Marian reforms, a Roman soldier would have had to own and provide for their own horse! Even if a common legionnaire in the new professional army would not have had to provide for their own armour. This puts a severe limit on the number of cavalry: only the wealthy, e.g. the equites could afford that expense.'Adrian Goldsworthy's The Complete Roman Army
If they were using local ponies they would live out side easily.
 

Keith_Beef

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Perhaps they kept them at home, like cattle below living rooms, as under floor heating.
'However, it's important to note that even after the Marian reforms, a Roman soldier would have had to own and provide for their own horse! Even if a common legionnaire in the new professional army would not have had to provide for their own armour. This puts a severe limit on the number of cavalry: only the wealthy, e.g. the equites could afford that expense.'Adrian Goldsworthy's The Complete Roman Army
If they were using local ponies they would live out side easily.




This advantage of immediate deployment would be lost if the cavalryman had to go and round up his pony from the paddock outside.

That page at English History also notes that these would have been auxiliaries, not regular Legions drawn from among Roman citizens.

Wikipedia states that the Segedunum fort at modern Wallsend was garrisoned through the 3rd and 4th centuries AD by the "part-mounted Fourth Cohort of the Lingones ... 120 cavalry and 480 infantry".

So they are auxiliaries drawn from a Romanized population of Gauls.



 
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