How to effectivley use melee cavalry?

[Fish-got-a-Sniper]

I usually do charge into the rear as that's just common sense, but my cavalry are constantly slaughtered. Just today in the siege of Syracuse as Carthage, it had been under siege for 8 turns and they sallied fourth with there troops at less than half strength. My merc hippies were slaughtered in melee by akonistai and my general got killed by a unit of Tarentine cavalry. He took down the Tarentines until they had one man left but he couldn't kill the general (Hiero), the sole surviving Tarentine. Hiero killed my general and they routed.

[Watchman]

Say... what battle difficulty are you playing with ?