From what I've read these were a widespread form of skirmisher cavalry in the hellenistic world and the name was not restricted to cavalry recruited in Taras bur rather to the type of heavy skirmisher cavalry. In EB they are recruitable only in Taras and I wondered if there was any reason for this.
GO'C
Not 100% sure on the stats but I think the Hipparkonistai are similar (but weaker) and there are mounted heavy peltasts which are somehting of an elite light cavalry force I think. These seem to cover most of the greek area's. Anything in particular that you wanted from the tarantine infantry that the other types don't offer you?
The Tarantine cavalry were originaly from Tarentum only... In time the description as Tarantines became known for a type of soldier, much like the Cretan archers. But in 272 i guess the Tarantines were still only cavalrymen from Tarentum.
SwissBarbar 11:51 17/11/10
Originally Posted by anubis88:
The Tarantine cavalry were originaly from Tarentum only... In time the description as Tarantines became known for a type of soldier, much like the Cretan archers. But in 272 i guess the Tarantines were still only cavalrymen from Tarentum.
You are broadly correct, apart from that last bit. Unlike the cities of Hellas proper, the Greek colonies in southern Italy were quick in developing effective cavalry forces. In Greece the emphasis on the hoplite-ideal meant that the hit-and-run tactics of cavalry were frowned upon, but presumably colonists could not afford such impractical idealism.
As warfare in Greece became more intense, the mothercities also started employing light cavalry in the "Tarentine" fashion. These would have been ordinary hippakontistoi; the actual Tarentine cavalry was still in a class of its own. The confusion is down to the usual muddle of Hellenistic military nomenclature. In any case, Hellenistic factions do get an elite skirmisher cavalry unit in the the form of the Hetairoi Aspidophoroi, so I am not sure why you would want Tarentines to become available everywhere.
[ETA: just to be clear: I think EB's Tarentines represent the cavalry of Magna Grecia in general, not just of Tarentum.]
Originally Posted by Ludens:
In any case, Hellenistic factions do get an elite skirmisher cavalry unit in the the form of the Hetairoi Aspidophoroi, so I am not sure why you would want Tarentines to become available everywhere.
I must admit, I was thinking exactly this. As befits an "elite" unit, the Tarentines are only marginally better than the Aspidophoroi. A couple more javelins, longer range, better (by a point) with the sword and better (again by a point) morale.
Another very similar unit to the Aspidophoroi are the
Campanian Equites, who are slightly heavier armoured.
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