During twenty years of systematic archaeological research in the area of the amphitheatre and the military training ground in Burnum, numerous objects were found that were determined to be parts of horse equipment
The Romans had no inherited equestrian tradition. During centuries of war with peoples who had deep rooted equestrian traditions (especially the Celts), the Romans realized the deadly power of horsemanship. In the first centuries of the Republic, Roman military horsemen were chosen from the ranks of the civil aristocracy. They were an integral part of the legionary formations, which mainly consisted of infantry units. The cavalry was placed on the flanks, on the left and right sides of the military formation. Skilled military commanders placed cavalry on the flanks of the legions with the aim of breaking the enemy, and subsequently regrouping and attacking the enemy infantry from behind.
Regarding the organization of the legions, it is important to note that each legion had its own cavalry. There were usually about 120 legionary horsemen, who shared living space together with the other legionaries within the legionary camp, which was not the case with the ala and cohort troops who lived in separate camps (auxiliary military camps). The role of the legionary cavalry has not yet been fully explained. Some think that the role of the legionary cavalry was limited to reconnaissance tasks or the transmission of messages (messengers) from a legion to other units. It is not excluded that their purpose could also have been to guard and protect high ranking officers in the legions.
At the beginning of the Empire, the Roman cavalry was divided into formations of 500 horsemen, and they were called ala (Lat. plural alae) or quingenaria (from the number 500), while during the reign of the Flavian dynasty the cavalry formations expanded up to 1000 horsemen.
The alae were divided into smaller components called turmae. An ala was commanded by a prefect, while individual turmae were led by decurions. Each ala, as well as the legionary cohorts, had its own flag (vexillium), while the turmae had a banner (signum). Cavalry units were divided into light and heavy cavalry, depending on the equipment they possessed. There also existed a type of mixed infantry-cavalry auxiliary unit (cohors equitata). Almost all of the above bore ethnic/geographical names with respect to the area of their first recruitment in Hispania, Gaul, or Illyricum, followed by Syria, Thrace, Mauretania, Britannia, Dacia, or elsewhere (Batavia, Lusitania, Delmatia, Cyrestania…).
During the reign of the Emperor Octavian Augustus, the form and structure of the mercenary peregrine units was regulated, turning them into permanent volunteer professional units attached to the Roman legions, so they were called auxilia. Peregrines were persons who had freedom but no civil rights, and they composed the majority of the population in the Roman provinces. After having served twenty-five years in the military, peregrine soldiers from the alae were discharged and acquired the status of Roman citizens, which confirms that the auxiliary units played a major role in the process of Romanization.
The equipment of horsemen during the first century, both legionary and auxiliary, was as follows: helmets of the Weiller type and the Niederbieber type, which had wider cheeks-pieces and cover the ears, and a slightly narrower occipital guard in comparison to the infantry. A decoration in the form of imitation hair was common on the dome of the helmet. The shields were smaller than the legionary shields to make them easier to maneuver. The armor was usually made of wire (mail armor/lorica hamata), but so-called scale armor was also used (lorica squamata). The cavalry sword was of the spatha type, about a foot longer than the infantry gladius, the extra length being necessary to reach opposing cavalry and infantry on the ground and cut them down with a slash, rather than a stab. The spear was a standard cavalry weapon, and throwing spears were also used. Archers used a composite bow with high penetrating power. The horses were equipped with a saddle of wooden construction, with metal fittings and a leather cover, with four horns on the corners to which the rider could hold. The Romans did not use stirrups. The horse was encouraged with spurs. A bridle with reins, bands, and metal bits was placed on the horse’s head. The straps of the horse equipment were decorated with appliqués, dividers, and pendants, of which a large number have been found at Burnum.
The cavalry equipment from Burnum belongs to both legionary and auxiliary cavalry. According to the type of objects found in Burnum, the horse equipment could be divided into two groups: functional and decorative. Functional items are represented by connecting belt links, connecting belt hooks, two-part clasps, metal belt straps, buckles, bits, and horse shoes. They were made of iron and bronze using forging and casting techniques. Bronze objects were decorated with tinning and niello work. An integral part of the horse harnesses were decorative phalerae, and one such specimen could be said to belong to this group of objects.
Most of the objects found were decorative, consisting of over 150 pendants. Depending on the type, pendants in the shape of a bird, leaf, heart, crescent, tear or drop, rhombus, and phallus prevail. They were made of bronze or bronze alloys using casting and cutting techniques, and decorated with tinning and niello work. Of particular note is the multi-part lunular-shaped pendant of large dimensions that was applied across three leather straps. In its immediate vicinity, a very high-quality, modeled phallic pendant was found, which was tin-plated on the visible side.
Horse shoes (hipposandals) are a particularly valuable find among horse equipment. Several of them were found in fragments, while one was preserved almost completely. They are made of iron using a forging technique. The preserved complete example has four pyramidal spikes on the underside that prevented the horse from slipping in muddy and loose terrain.
