Iberians and Romans

[FierceKitty]

A small battle, but both armies pack a big punch; it went on for a long time. Here we see the armies squaring off. Sadly, I sprang my archers in ambush too soon, ere the foe were in range. We both hesitated a bit about attacking, each aware that the other was a hard hitter.

[FierceKitty]

Velites doing a "stirrup charge" centuries before stirrups were invented. Possibly why the equites failed to do as much damage as I'd hoped.

[FierceKitty]

Caetrati garrison a liberated village. This was, I think, a blunder. They were more urgently needed elsewhere.

[FierceKitty]

The main lines square off. I was quite pleased with myself for holding back until ready to attack en masse.

[FierceKitty]

Here the heavy cavalry smack into each other. There were Iberian light horse around too, however, so I had to advance the Cretans from their bosky hideaway, knowing too sadly what would become of them. Better lose the mercenaries than the consul. Crete is full of mendacious bowmen.

[FierceKitty]

Considerably later. Many flank attacks, some of them survived despite all the odds. The consul had been captured anyway, though the Iberian c-in-c was about to be taken prisoner too.

[FierceKitty]

One of the flanking chomps.

[FierceKitty]

Quis multa? Though several routing units on both sides gamely returned to the fray, eventually the Spaniards broke and retreated with serious losses. The Romans, themselves shaken, proclaimed a victory with less conviction than might have been hoped for and withdrew to Italy.

[Zippee]

Velites doing a "stirrup charge" centuries before stirrups were invented.

Not so, there is evidence of stirrups going right back to the Cimmerian incursions into Assyria.

They just aren't of much use for javelin/spear fighting or horse archery.

Stirrups are only needed for a mounted swordsman to cut downwards into infantry (and for comfort whilst riding distances)

Light infantry being carried by cavalry is fairly common in Greek sources, probably indicates that the fighting quickly devolved into a messy scrum where chaps on foot could be useful

[FierceKitty]

The evidence for the early stirrups? I'm interested.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Nice one FK

[Zippee]

The evidence for the early stirrups? I'm interested.

From the steppe - mostly toe loop style but some horn/wood IIRC, sorry can't point you to anything specific just stuff that came up and was discussed on fora over time (AncMed most likely)