Hannibal's Cavalry

[Urnamma]

The Sacred Band of Astarte was a cavalry unit that wore iron armor and carried a 3.5m lance. They fought in the Greco-steppe manner with a two handed lance. Their horses were barded with iron lamellar. Their horses were a mix of the african (arabian) breed and the andalusian (iberian) breed. They were on a par with Hetairoi or Granpavar (elite) cataphracts, but were trained from birth as property of the temple. A predecessor of the Mamluk, essentially, but from the second and third sons of noble families.

The Iberian heavy cavalry was what hannibal had with him at Cannae. They were (obviously) far superior to the Roman cavalry of the time, made more so by their status as a western sort of very heavy cavalry (think cataphractarii) with barded horses and high quality mail or scale armor. Their only handicap was the smaller spear and shield they carried.

You'll see quite a unique and proper Carthage, I assure you.