Roman History - Lone Horseman Charge?

**Zixor** · 11-20-2009, 05:21

I remember listening to a Roman history podcast that mentioned a Roman warrior on horseback who put on a robe and charged into the enemy ranks alone. Supposedly he frightened the enemy and inspired his own troops. Can anyone recall the name of this warrior?

**Megas Methuselah** · 11-20-2009, 09:09

I remember reading about this a long time ago. It takes place in early Roman history, which is mangled with both myths and facts, so it may not even be real. Anyways, I can't remember the name, but it was an old family tradition. A guy did it once and died, encouraging his troops to go on and win the battle. His son did the same in a later war. And, I think it was the grandson who did this in the Gallic invasion, but his death didn't prevent the Romans from losing the battle.

EDIT: I found it after a quick google search. Going a by a custom called "devotio," a Roman would dedicate himself to the Gods of the underworld and ride to the thickest part of the battle on horseback and, essentially, die. This would ensure the wrath of the gods upon the enemy, who would then be doomed to defeat in the battle. The famous plebean family that went by this tradition was that of Publius Decius Mus, whose son and grandson would follow his example of devotio and deliberately die in battle. It turns out his grandson supposedly performed this ritual against Pyrrhus' Epirotes and not the Gauls, which didn't work out in Roman favour.

**moonburn** · 11-20-2009, 10:07

megas he didn´t and the tradition was to charge head long against the enemie and die so the romans could win and phyrrus instructed all of his man to not kill him if that happened and warned mus that he would be captured and not killed thus breaking the tradition ( phyrrus was particulary worried because his men where very superticious)

**Rahwana** · 11-20-2009, 11:03

I'mjust amazed how to capture decius if he charge headlong into sarrisa formation... maybe he use some kind of net or.... order his troops to capture by hand?

BTW I also remember an account of lone eagle bearer step forward and made all his comades step onward and give the Romans victory... it looks like morale was a big value in the Roman army....

**antisocialmunky** · 11-20-2009, 15:23

There are less suicidal versions as well...

Caesar was described charging into the battle with his bodyguard to rally his troops on at least two occasions with a red cape, once at Alesia and once somewhere in Spain(?)

I'm a little fuzzy on the details. Someone correct me if I'm mistaken.

**Antonivs Silvicola** · 11-20-2009, 17:41

Caesar's charge in Spain was at Munda. Supposedly his shield was riddled with pila and he survived(sounds like propaganda to me) thus his forces were encouraged and won the day. Also, don't forget about the story of Horatius from Romes early history whom, with two other men held off an entire army while the romans destroyed a bridge across the Tiber. The other two men crossed back just as the bridge collapsed leaving Horatius alone. He then managed to swim the Tiber in full armour and the enemy turned back. PRobably more myth than truth but meh. You can read the entire poem; Horatius by Thomas Babington Macaulay.

**Uticensis** · 11-23-2009, 07:01

The devotio thing is pretty interesting- never heard of that before. What intrigues me about it is that it reminds me of a source I recently read (Leo the Deacon) about a Medieval Roman army (i.e. Byzantine) which was fighting off the Rus (Early Russians/Vikings) One of the emperor's bodyguards saw the Russian leader and charged alone straight into the Russian "phalanx." Not surprisingly he was killed (though he took a bunch of guys out with him), but it inspired the Romans who went on to win the battle. I wonder if this was a survival of sorts of that tradition (or maybe its just a case of a soldier who was slightly nuts).

**satalexton** · 11-23-2009, 07:45

It's always the nutters who do die doing nutty things that get labeled as heros in the annals of history....inspiring more nutting nutters to do the same nutty thing.

**antisocialmunky** · 11-23-2009, 13:27

Originally Posted by Uticensis

The devotio thing is pretty interesting- never heard of that before. What intrigues me about it is that it reminds me of a source I recently read (Leo the Deacon) about a Medieval Roman army (i.e. Byzantine) which was fighting off the Rus (Early Russians/Vikings) One of the emperor's bodyguards saw the Russian leader and charged alone straight into the Russian "phalanx." Not surprisingly he was killed (though he took a bunch of guys out with him), but it inspired the Romans who went on to win the battle. I wonder if this was a survival of sorts of that tradition (or maybe its just a case of a soldier who was slightly nuts).

Well you see it in movies where the NCO will run into battle and the rest of the guys have to go with him. Now whether or not it occurs in real life or is told in story, its something fundamental to the way male group dynamics works where humans and even intelligent animals in patriarchical positions will lead by example where there is an implied expectation than that individual's model of behavior is how you should behave. Though I don't doubt there are a multitude of other possible answers such as peer pressure and a value-cost trade off or something.

**Uticensis** · 11-23-2009, 20:39

Originally Posted by antisocialmunky

Well you see it in movies where the NCO will run into battle and the rest of the guys have to go with him. Now whether or not it occurs in real life or is told in story, its something fundamental to the way male group dynamics works where humans and even intelligent animals in patriarchical positions will lead by example where there is an implied expectation than that individual's model of behavior is how you should behave. Though I don't doubt there are a multitude of other possible answers such as peer pressure and a value-cost trade off or something.

All that granted. Which is why I find it interesting when, instead of all the guys running into battle with him, they just kind of watch as he gets hacked to pieces by the enemy.

I think this is less of a case of leading men to battle than of suicidal heroism meant to inspire men to bravery. Or maybe its really brave individuals just showing off (after having a bit too much wine). Or perhaps its just from misunderstood orders (like the charge of the light brigade in the 19th century), that gets reinterpreted as the guy who misunderstood the orders being really brave. I don't know what inspires acts of suicidal bravery, like a lone horseman charge, and that's what makes it interesting.

**Megas Methuselah** · 11-23-2009, 21:54

Originally Posted by Uticensis

All that granted. Which is why I find it interesting when, instead of all the guys running into battle with him, they just kind of watch as he gets hacked to pieces by the enemy.

Eh. It's hard to judge/understand, as our society's values and beliefs are so radically different from the ancient ones. The same concept applies to the ancient Greek homosexuality, a practice that wasn't frowned upon as it is in today's western society.

**antisocialmunky** · 11-24-2009, 02:18

Originally Posted by Uticensis

I think this is less of a case of leading men to battle than of suicidal heroism meant to inspire men to bravery. Or maybe its really brave individuals just showing off (after having a bit too much wine). Or perhaps its just from misunderstood orders (like the charge of the light brigade in the 19th century), that gets reinterpreted as the guy who misunderstood the orders being really brave. I don't know what inspires acts of suicidal bravery, like a lone horseman charge, and that's what makes it interesting.

Okay, I see.

Well, that in it of itself is a type of leading by example that I was alluding to. However, I just reread Methuselah's description. Perhaps it was some sort of honor thing. Romans did have somewhat of a small tradition of ritualistic suicide or sacrificing a few as an assignment of blame...

**Reno Melitensis** · 11-23-2009, 22:05

Originally Posted by Zixor

I remember listening to a Roman history podcast that mentioned a Roman warrior on horseback who put on a robe and charged into the enemy ranks alone. Supposedly he frightened the enemy and inspired his own troops. Can anyone recall the name of this warrior?

That man was not only a hero to the Romans, he was going to sacrifice him self to the gods of the underworld, his soul and those of the enemies where the prize so the gods would grant the Romans victory. It was called a Devotio, the men father and son of the same name, Decius Mus. The father devoted himself at the Battle of Sentium, the son at the Battle Of Asculum.

Cheers.