a comparative study of a Roman frontier province. - Historia Antigua

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25. See note 23 above. Also Synesius, Letters 104,108,130, emphasised
that great numbers of horses were rustled by the Ausuriani and that
these along with camel herds had been the greatest wealth of the
Cyrenaicans. Letter 113, quoted the Cyrenaican proverb "A camel with
the mange ... can shoulder the burden of many asses. "
26. Corippus, VI, 194-95. See note 17 above.
27. Synesius, Letters, 104,108. In other letters (104,125,130,132,133)
he stressed the importance of horses in combatting the barbarians.
28. See note 17, above.
29. Alix 1899,31-37; Pringle 1981,2,35.
30. Pringle 1981,15, describes the Laguatan as "camel-riding nomads" but
goes on to refer to them fighting "on foot or on horseback", which
would seem to be a contradiction in terms.
31. Corippus uses several terms for horses in imitation of Virgil: equus,
cornipes, sonipes, alipes, quadrupes. The following is a fairly complete
list; equus: I, 540-48; II, 46-50; 149-55; 170; 209-214; IV, 141-42;
621; 628-44; V, 9-12; 74-76; 80; 85-86; 109; 114-15; 129; 147-49;
213; 311; 314; 455; 493; VI, 194-95; 224-25; 280; 692-94; VII, 424;
VIII, 391-92; 403-4; 414-15; 444; 551; 594-95; 610; 640; cornipes:
I, 545; II, 89; IV, 544-45; V, 497; VI, 18-20; VII, 444, VIII, 624;
sonipes: IV, 628; VI, 569; VIII, 520; 553; 614; 638; alipes: V, 222;
quadrupes I, 558-59, V, 515.
32. See above, note 18.
33. Corippus II, 91-99, pecus varia; IV, 597-619; V, 489-92.
34. The three chief battles recorded by Corippus (Book V, at an unnamed
site in Byzacium in A. D. 546, Book VI, Marta in 547, Book VIII9
Latara in 548) all started as conventional cavalry and infantry
engagements. Only in the first case was the defence of the Laguatan
camp resorted to, following the initial defeat of their light armed
cavalry in open battle. The decision to retreat to the encampment
was clearly a desperate measure and failed to prevent a near catastrophic
defeat for the Laguatan.
35. See note 18 above, Ibn Khaldun.
36. Vegetius, III, 23; note 16 above fdr Latin text.
37. roh, V. 421-33 described the moment when John breached the defence of
camels by striking one down. A "Gaetula" woman and two children, who
had been sitting on top, were sent sprawling along with their baggage
which included a hand quern. VI, 82-86, described John's victory parade
in Carthage in A. D. 546. Camels were paraded with their captured riders,
Mauras (Moorish women), once again accompanied by their children and
seated upon their household baggage.
38. Procopius, Wars, IV, 11,17-56, on Solomon's victory in A. D. 533 against
a camp protected by the camel cordon. But compare, IV, 12,3-28, on
the battle of Mount Bourgaon in A. D. 534 where a substantial cavalry
force was certainly present; IV, 11,20, on a cavalry ambush. Procopius,
IV, 11,18-19 also described the Moorish camp followers on campaign.
The women and children remained at the camp with the camels and food
supplies and also tended the horses when they were there. The camels
by implication were not used in either combat or raiding away from the
camp, whilst the speed and agility of horses were the main qualities of
their
warfare.
39. The chief importance of the camel as a beast of burden in antiquity is
illustrated by the proverb quoted by Synesius, Letter 113, "A camel with
the mange ... can shoulder the burden of many asses. "