Cavalry

[Chester]

I'm trying to find any sources that discuss a scenario where heavy calvary was able to smash through a line of infantry, succesfully.

I'm assuming the cataphracts of the Eastern kingdoms could do this with relative ease since they were drapped in armor.

I've been lead to believe that medieval heavy calvary was able to break infantry formations and trample them. And with the exception of pikes and long bows, where pretty much uncontested on the field until fire arms became a standard.

Did infantry really rule the age? I know the roman legions did and they consisted mostly of ground troops. But did rome ever fight an equal aside from carthage? I'm not aware of any battle where an opposing faction wreaked havoc on Rome with calvary formations.

[Trithemius]

Cavalry. :/

[CountArach]

The only times that I can think of when Cavalry truly dominated was Parthians vs Romans. Surena I believe had some Cataphracts and was able to crush the legions with them, but some of the reason was the lowered morale and condition of Crassus' legions (From marching through the desert). Cataphracts were completely capable of taking out Infantry (look at Battle of Magnesia where Antiochus was capable of smashing through the Roman left), yet in general Heavy Cavalry armies did not fight without support and were generally not capable of being fielded in sufficient numbers to be able to achieve victory without support.

[Ludens]

You may find this thread interesting: it contains the discussion you are trying to start right now. I am sure Angadil will still be interesting to hear instances of heavy cavalry being able to break formed heavy infantry in EB's time frame.

[MSB]

Infantry was dominant for most peoples in this period. Cavalry was only unsupported for Nomadic Peoples such as the Parthians and the Peoples of the Steppes. For most nations infantry was the backbone of the army and did all the work and the cavalry was used mostly to break up lines and formations and also protect the flanks.

[Discoskull]

Cataphracts actually weren't as powerful as decked-out medival knights

[Conradus]

Didn't the Gothic cavalry defeat the roman army at Adrianopel or were they more of an infantry on horseback? I know they appeared on the roman flanks and crushed their army, killing Valens? in the process.

[econ21]

I think during the "Barbarian invasion" time frame, cavalry were enjoying more success against infantry. However, Chester might regard this as outside the time frame he's interested in.

I'm trying to find any sources that discuss a scenario where heavy calvary was able to smash through a line of infantry, succesfully.

Unlike some of the EB team, I'm not an ancient historian but wouldn't Alexander and the exploits of his Companions provide multiple examples of this?

I've been lead to believe that medieval heavy calvary was able to break infantry formations and trample them. And with the exception of pikes and long bows, where pretty much uncontested on the field until fire arms became a standard.

I think there are more exceptions than this - dismounted men-at-arms often seem to have been a successful counter to mounted men-at-arms in the period.