250:
25:
279:
108:
73:
296:
261:
The
Numidians' impact extended beyond the battlefield. Their knowledge of the terrain and local customs proved invaluable to Hannibal as he navigated the unfamiliar landscape of Italy. They served as guides, scouts, and intermediaries, helping the Carthaginian army adapt to its new surroundings and
265:
While the
Numidian cavalry did not engage in direct frontal assaults against Roman infantry, their indirect contributions to the Carthaginian cause were immense. Their ability to disrupt Roman supply lines, gather intelligence, and exploit terrain advantages played a significant role in Hannibal's
269:
Despite their remarkable feats, the
Numidians' contributions to the Second Punic War often go overlooked, overshadowed by the more prominent roles played by Roman and Carthaginian infantry and commanders. Nevertheless, their impact on the war was undeniable, and their legacy as masters of cavalry
306:
The Romans also employed
Numidian cavalry, primarily drawn from conquered territories or allied tribes. These horsemen served a similar purpose to their Carthaginian counterparts, providing reconnaissance, disrupting enemy movements, and engaging in light cavalry engagements. Roman commanders
286:
The
Carthaginians initially relied heavily on Numidian cavalry, particularly during the early stages of the war. Their skilled horsemanship and familiarity with the North African terrain proved valuable in scouting, harassing Roman supply lines, and engaging in skirmishes. However, as the war
270:
warfare endures to this day. The
Numidian horsemen stand as a testament to the power of adaptation, resilience, and tactical ingenuity, demonstrating that even in the face of overwhelming odds, smaller forces can make a significant impact on the course of history.
257:
Throughout the war, Numidian cavalry continued to harass Roman forces, disrupting their supply lines and communications. Their presence forced the Romans to adopt a more cautious approach, hindering their ability to maneuver freely and engage in decisive battles.
169:
before wheeling off to escape the enemy's counterattack. This harassing tactic, while rarely decisive, could be extremely frustrating to a less mobile enemy, as experienced by
146:, controlling their mounts with a simple rope around their horse's neck and a small riding stick. They had no form of bodily protection except for a round leather shield or a
621:
307:
appreciated the
Numidians' adaptability and effectiveness in open terrain, often deploying them as a complement to their heavier infantry formations.
138:, were small compared with other horses of the era, and were well adapted for faster movement over long distances. Numidian horsemen rode without
115:, where the Numidian cavalry helped to defeat the Roman cavalry, allowing the Carthaginians (blue) to encircle and defeat the Roman army (red)
199:
Numidian cavalry were widely known and not only fought in the
Carthaginian army, but in other armies of the time as well. Again during the
176:
The
Numidians were extremely useful during small wars, and their presence certainly contributed greatly to the effectiveness of Hannibal's
445:
374:
44:
Please help improve this article by looking for better, more reliable sources. Unreliable citations may be challenged and removed.
181:
590:
563:
536:
509:
482:
455:
287:
progressed and the Romans gained control of key territories, the
Carthaginians' access to Numidian reinforcements dwindled.
431:
356:
59:
165:
or heavy weaponry, they were most suitable for harassing tactics, charging in loose formation and lobbing their
580:
447:
Cannae: The Experience of Battle in the Second Punic War: The Experience of Battle in the Second Punic War
38:
33:
238:
230:
188:, but he also employed Numidian cavalry where faster movement was needed, such as luring the
316:
249:
124:
371:
8:
501:
The Numidian History: The Ancient Berbers Of Numidia And Carthage In The Shadow Of Rome
184:
during the Second Punic War is best known for his extremely limited use of slow-moving
24:
586:
559:
532:
505:
478:
451:
427:
352:
616:
611:
400:
200:
193:
112:
96:
389:
553:
526:
499:
472:
378:
128:
208:
177:
605:
170:
84:
278:
107:
189:
185:
324:, a similar medieval military unit in Al Andalus that originated from the
155:
215:
161:
Due to their expert horsemanship and agility, as well as their lack of
135:
204:
88:
120:
92:
72:
328:
166:
151:
147:
295:
325:
321:
234:
143:
139:
162:
474:
Defending the Roman Republic: Ending the 2Nd Punic War
207:
who led 6000 horsemen against Hannibal's own in the
173:'s soldiers during the latter's invasion of Africa.
218:
employed Numidian light cavalry in separate units (
211:, where the "Numidian Cavalry turned the scales".
603:
273:
244:
134:The Numidian cavalry's horses, ancestors of the
426:Julius Caesar: Man, Soldier, and Tyrant. p. 28
203:, the Romans allied with the Numidian king
622:Military units and formations of antiquity
290:
60:Learn how and when to remove this message
351:. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 3–10.
294:
277:
248:
106:
71:
551:
470:
346:
262:establish alliances with local tribes.
229:The Numidian cavalry were also used in
119:Numidian cavalry is first mentioned by
604:
578:
497:
405:
524:
504:. Amazon Digital Services LLC - Kdp.
196:and for fighting on his right flank.
443:
413:Warhorse: Cavalry in Ancient Warfare
340:
18:
394:
16:Ancient North African light cavalry
13:
579:McCall, Jeremiah B. (2005-06-29).
150:skin, and their main weapons were
14:
633:
582:The Cavalry of the Roman Republic
525:Smith, R. Bosworth (2018-04-13).
383:
365:
23:
572:
552:Horsted, William (2021-01-26).
545:
518:
491:
464:
437:
418:
214:For centuries thereafter, the
1:
498:Taylor, George (2022-07-29).
334:
274:Carthaginian Numidian cavalry
245:Second Punic War (218–201 BC)
471:Mancini, John (2009-02-27).
444:Daly, Gregory (2005-08-18).
7:
555:The Numidians 300 BC–AD 300
349:The Numidians 300 BC–AD 300
310:
182:Hannibal's invasion of Rome
10:
638:
266:early successes in Italy.
102:
347:Horsted, William (2021).
32:Some of this article's
303:
291:Roman Numidian cavalry
283:
254:
116:
77:
298:
281:
252:
110:
76:a Numidian Cavalryman
75:
531:. Ozymandias Press.
317:Military of Carthage
91:. They were used by
192:into a trap at the
558:. Bloomsbury USA.
377:2008-03-18 at the
304:
284:
255:
231:Caesar's civil war
180:and intelligence.
117:
78:
592:978-1-134-51818-0
565:978-1-4728-4219-0
538:978-1-5312-7944-8
511:979-8-8429-8744-3
484:978-0-595-61779-1
457:978-1-134-50711-5
411:Sidnell, Philip.
401:Invasion of Italy
237:and were used in
220:equites Numidarum
154:in addition to a
125:Carthaginian army
87:developed by the
70:
69:
62:
629:
597:
596:
576:
570:
569:
549:
543:
542:
522:
516:
515:
495:
489:
488:
468:
462:
461:
441:
435:
424:Fuller, J.F.C.,
422:
416:
409:
403:
398:
392:
387:
381:
369:
363:
362:
344:
253:Second Punic War
201:Second Punic War
194:Battle of Trebia
113:battle of Cannae
97:Second Punic War
81:Numidian cavalry
65:
58:
54:
51:
45:
27:
19:
637:
636:
632:
631:
630:
628:
627:
626:
602:
601:
600:
593:
577:
573:
566:
550:
546:
539:
523:
519:
512:
496:
492:
485:
469:
465:
458:
442:
438:
423:
419:
410:
406:
399:
395:
388:
384:
379:Wayback Machine
370:
366:
359:
345:
341:
337:
313:
301:King of Numidia
293:
282:Numidian knight
276:
247:
239:Battle of Utica
233:on the side of
129:First Punic War
123:as part of the
105:
66:
55:
49:
46:
43:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
635:
625:
624:
619:
614:
599:
598:
591:
571:
564:
544:
537:
528:The Punic Wars
517:
510:
490:
483:
463:
456:
436:
417:
404:
393:
390:RedRampant.com
382:
364:
357:
338:
336:
333:
332:
331:
319:
312:
309:
292:
289:
275:
272:
246:
243:
209:battle of Zama
178:reconnaissance
104:
101:
83:was a type of
68:
67:
34:listed sources
31:
29:
22:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
634:
623:
620:
618:
615:
613:
610:
609:
607:
594:
588:
585:. Routledge.
584:
583:
575:
567:
561:
557:
556:
548:
540:
534:
530:
529:
521:
513:
507:
503:
502:
494:
486:
480:
477:. iUniverse.
476:
475:
467:
459:
453:
450:. Routledge.
449:
448:
440:
434:
433:
432:0-306-80422-0
429:
421:
414:
408:
402:
397:
391:
386:
380:
376:
373:
368:
360:
358:9781472842176
354:
350:
343:
339:
330:
327:
323:
320:
318:
315:
314:
308:
302:
297:
288:
280:
271:
267:
263:
259:
251:
242:
240:
236:
232:
227:
225:
221:
217:
212:
210:
206:
202:
197:
195:
191:
187:
186:war elephants
183:
179:
174:
172:
171:Julius Caesar
168:
164:
159:
157:
153:
149:
145:
141:
137:
132:
130:
126:
122:
114:
109:
100:
98:
94:
90:
86:
85:light cavalry
82:
74:
64:
61:
53:
50:December 2023
41:
40:
35:
30:
26:
21:
20:
581:
574:
554:
547:
527:
520:
500:
493:
473:
466:
446:
439:
425:
420:
412:
407:
396:
385:
367:
348:
342:
305:
300:
299:Massinissa,
285:
268:
264:
260:
256:
228:
223:
219:
213:
198:
175:
160:
136:Berber horse
133:
118:
80:
79:
56:
47:
36:
156:short sword
127:during the
95:during the
37:may not be
606:Categories
335:References
216:Roman army
329:Imazighen
205:Masinissa
89:Numidians
415:, p.194.
375:Archived
311:See also
224:Maurorum
167:javelins
152:javelins
121:Polybius
93:Hannibal
39:reliable
617:Numidia
612:Cavalry
148:leopard
144:bridles
140:saddles
103:History
589:
562:
535:
508:
481:
454:
430:
355:
326:Zenata
322:Jinete
235:Pompey
190:Romans
372:Epona
163:armor
587:ISBN
560:ISBN
533:ISBN
506:ISBN
479:ISBN
452:ISBN
428:ISBN
353:ISBN
111:The
226:).
222:or
142:or
608::
241:.
158:.
131:.
99:.
595:.
568:.
541:.
514:.
487:.
460:.
361:.
63:)
57:(
52:)
48:(
42:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.