Village (Horse Breeders)

A source of food, a symbol of wealth, a beast of burden and a tool of war, the horse was one of the most versatile commodities in the ancient world. Equus ferus’ role was tied to its physical form – the small, early horse could only be used to pull primitive chariots. Larger, faster horses were later bred and used by skirmishers to chase down troops, but it was not until the development of more muscular breeds that shock troops such as the Macedonian Companions and cataphracts came into being. Their long lances and heavy armour made these new-style heavy cavalry units deadly against infantry, fundamentally changing the nature of warfare forever.