In the sixth part of my thesis on Alexander the Great’s battle tactics, I argued that Alexander’s Heavy Cavalry, the Companions, Prodromoi and Paeonians, were the first cavalry in history to have the capacity to charge home – that is to charge straight into contact with unbroken enemy cavalry units.
This, I argue, marked a revolutionary change in the tactics of cavalry combat that was critical to Alexander’s success in battle.
The innovation was almost certainly developed under Alexander’s father, Philip II of Macedon. But I can remember reading somewhere, that this may also have been used the cavalry of at least one other ancient general.
If you know of any other cases of cavalry being recorded as charging home, I would be interested to hear of them.
I believe this was copied from the Assyrian fighting king Sargon II.
With all due respect, Amir, I have to ask what is the evidence your answer is based on? And in this I must stress that my question is directed to the use of heavy cavalry.
I am well aware of how effective and innovative the Assyrian army at the height of its power was. But on a quick check its strength lay in a combined arms approach that included:
heavy infantry in the form of "compact phalanxes of spearmen";
"formations of chariots" as "mobile missile platforms";
mounted archers;
mounted javelin men or spearmen;
slingers and archers.
All combined with a very effective use of siege warfare.
https://www.ancient.eu/Assyrian_Warfare/
The Assyrians were certainly innovative, and may well be the first to use heavy infantry. But, at least on the above evidence, there is nothing to suggest that their spearmen/javelin cavalry ever functioned as heavy cavalry, with the capacity to charge home. Certainly, the one image of Assyrian spearmen/javelin cavalry in combat on the above web site only shows them striking down from behind broken infantry already in flight - a combat role readily undertaken by light cavalry armed with javelins or swords. And remember, I have argued that heavy cavalry is not distinguished by wearing armour, but by fighting in close formation with the capacity to charge home.
See also https://www.ancient.eu/article/1118/wall-reliefs-ashurnasirpal-iis-war-scenes-at-the-b/
If you can cite further evidence to support your claim, please advise this.
But as to the suggestion that Alexander copied Sargon, I would have to raise concerns regarding to how the idea was transmitted given the 300-400 plus years between them, and the geographic isolation from Macedonia from the Middle East.
I am certainly not an expert in these matters, so I am sorry if this does not help, but I recall that in the battle of Leuctra the Theban cavalry charged against the Spartan’s before the main encounter of the infantries. To me it is an interesting antecedent (if a correct one) because, as you certainly know well, it was also the first deployment of the oblique phalanx. The battle is described in Xenophon's Hellenica and other ancient sources.
Thanks for the suggestion, Alejandro. Very helpful. I've now looked up the battle in the sources.
Of these, only Xenophon (Hellinica VI. 4. 10 - 14) mentions the cavalry battle, and there the Theban cavalry victory is attributed to the fact that their troops were well trained and battle ready thanks to other recent wars, while the cavalry of the Spartan side is described at length as "exceedingly poor". There's nothing to suggest that the Theban cavalry actually charged at the Spartan side, but the implication is that those on the Spartan side were unprepared and quickly broken, probably as soon as they came under attack from javelins being hurled at them in a classic light cavalry exchange.
But you're right, the battle does seem to have been the first one where an echelon attack was used. Whether intentional or not is still debated. But that is an important point, and one I will need to take into consideration.
I am glad it helped. I would very much like to read your thesis when it's finished!
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