Sagittarii
Encyclopedia
Sagittarii Sagitarii is the latin term for archers. The term sagittariorum in the title of an infantry or cavalry unit indicated a specialized archer regiment. Regular auxiliary
units of foot and horse archers appeared in the Roman army during the early empire. During the Principate
roughly two thirds of all bowmen were foot and one third horse archers. While mercenary foot archers already served with the Roman republican army, horse archers were only introduced after the Romans came into conflict with eastern factions that relied heavily on mounted archery
in the 1st century BCE. Most notably the Parthians which mounted archers were decisive for Crassus
disastrous defeat in the Battle of Carrhae
. In the early 1st century CE horse archers were already in widespread use and even supported Roman campaigns against the Germanic tribes in northern europe.
The normal weapon of Roman archers, both infantry and cavalry units, was the composite bow
, although Vegetius
recommends training recruits "arcubus ligneis", with wooden bows, which may have been made in the northern European longbow
tradition. It has been suggested that most Roman composite bows may have been asymmetric, with lower limbs shorter than the upper.
By the 5th century, there were numerous Roman cavalry regiments trained to use the bow as a supplement to their swords and lances, but the sagittarii appeared to have used the bow as their primary rather than supplemental weapon. According to the Notitia Dignitatum
, most units of sagittarii, especially equites sagittarii, were in the Eastern empire or in Africa. Possibly some of the other cavalry regiments there carried bows as back-up weapons, but were not the dedicated mounted archers that the sagittarii were. The use of bows as a primary weapon probably originated in the East in the later 4th and earlier 5th centuries to help the Roman Army counter Persian and Hunnic bow-armed cavalry.
By the time of Procopius
's histories and Maurikios's Strategikon, the main effective field arm of Roman armies was cavalry, many of them armed with bows. After the fall of the Western empire, Eastern Roman armies maintained their tradition of horse archery for centuries.
Auxiliaries (Roman military)
Auxiliaries formed the standing non-citizen corps of the Roman army of the Principate , alongside the citizen legions...
units of foot and horse archers appeared in the Roman army during the early empire. During the Principate
Principate
The Principate is the first period of the Roman Empire, extending from the beginning of the reign of Caesar Augustus to the Crisis of the Third Century, after which it was replaced with the Dominate. The Principate is characterized by a concerted effort on the part of the Emperors to preserve the...
roughly two thirds of all bowmen were foot and one third horse archers. While mercenary foot archers already served with the Roman republican army, horse archers were only introduced after the Romans came into conflict with eastern factions that relied heavily on mounted archery
Mounted archery
A horse archer, horsed archer, or mounted archer is a cavalryman armed with a bow, able to shoot while riding from horseback. Archery has occasionally been used from the backs of other riding animals...
in the 1st century BCE. Most notably the Parthians which mounted archers were decisive for Crassus
Marcus Licinius Crassus
Marcus Licinius Crassus was a Roman general and politician who commanded the right wing of Sulla's army at the Battle of the Colline Gate, suppressed the slave revolt led by Spartacus, provided political and financial support to Julius Caesar and entered into the political alliance known as the...
disastrous defeat in the Battle of Carrhae
Battle of Carrhae
The Battle of Carrhae, fought in 53 BC near the town of Carrhae, was a major battle between the Parthian Empire and the Roman Republic. The Parthian Spahbod Surena decisively defeated a Roman invasion force led by Marcus Licinius Crassus...
. In the early 1st century CE horse archers were already in widespread use and even supported Roman campaigns against the Germanic tribes in northern europe.
The normal weapon of Roman archers, both infantry and cavalry units, was the composite bow
Composite bow
A composite bow is a bow made from horn, wood, and sinew laminated together. The horn is on the belly, facing the archer, and sinew on the back of a wooden core. Sinew and horn will store more energy than wood for the same length of bow...
, although Vegetius
Vegetius
Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus, commonly referred to simply as Vegetius, was a writer of the Later Roman Empire. Nothing is known of his life or station beyond what he tells us in his two surviving works: Epitoma rei militaris , and the lesser-known Digesta Artis Mulomedicinae, a guide to...
recommends training recruits "arcubus ligneis", with wooden bows, which may have been made in the northern European longbow
Longbow
A longbow is a type of bow that is tall ; this will allow its user a fairly long draw, at least to the jaw....
tradition. It has been suggested that most Roman composite bows may have been asymmetric, with lower limbs shorter than the upper.
By the 5th century, there were numerous Roman cavalry regiments trained to use the bow as a supplement to their swords and lances, but the sagittarii appeared to have used the bow as their primary rather than supplemental weapon. According to the Notitia Dignitatum
Notitia Dignitatum
The Notitia Dignitatum is a unique document of the Roman imperial chanceries. One of the very few surviving documents of Roman government, it details the administrative organisation of the eastern and western empires, listing several thousand offices from the imperial court down to the provincial...
, most units of sagittarii, especially equites sagittarii, were in the Eastern empire or in Africa. Possibly some of the other cavalry regiments there carried bows as back-up weapons, but were not the dedicated mounted archers that the sagittarii were. The use of bows as a primary weapon probably originated in the East in the later 4th and earlier 5th centuries to help the Roman Army counter Persian and Hunnic bow-armed cavalry.
By the time of Procopius
Procopius
Procopius of Caesarea was a prominent Byzantine scholar from Palestine. Accompanying the general Belisarius in the wars of the Emperor Justinian I, he became the principal historian of the 6th century, writing the Wars of Justinian, the Buildings of Justinian and the celebrated Secret History...
's histories and Maurikios's Strategikon, the main effective field arm of Roman armies was cavalry, many of them armed with bows. After the fall of the Western empire, Eastern Roman armies maintained their tradition of horse archery for centuries.