At the end of the second century BC cataphract cavalry are mentioned for the first time. Little more is mentioned than that they exist and that their name implies they are heavily armoured. Over...Show moreAt the end of the second century BC cataphract cavalry are mentioned for the first time. Little more is mentioned than that they exist and that their name implies they are heavily armoured. Over the course of the next eighthundred years they continued to exist. Sometimes they are reported to be more capable than they were in reality, yet some of the most influential empires of the ancient world used these heavily armoured horsemen. The archaeological sites which show cataphract cavalry are mostly located in modern Iran, although the ancient Syrian city of Dura-Europos is important for image-forming as well. Ancient authors who wrote about the cataphract range from Greek authors from the 5th century BC until Roman authors from the 4th century AD, which means that there is a large variety in ancient literature on the subject. Cataphract armour changed over time, as well as their weaponry and the tactics that were employed. The differences between Seleucid, Parthian, Roman and Sassanid cataphracts become apparent throughout the thesis.Show less
