In the militaristic societies of the ancient world value on the battlefield was directly linked to status within the tribe. Celtiberian society was such that military and domestic life were linked and warriors were considered an elite class. Above them came cavalry, which consisted entirely of nobles who, like in so many other cultures, were the only ones who could afford horses and had opportunity to train with them. Strong horsemanship also gave a tribe a distinct advantage on the battlefield, allowing them to get into position quickly and control the flow of battle once it began. However, horses were rarely used for charging enemy lines; instead riders would dismount so they could fight on foot, in the true 'heroic' fashion - a tradition that persisted until the time of Caesar.
