Granì (Jun 2015)
Military organization and army command of ancient armies of Northern Black Sea Region
Abstract
This article deal with the description, analysis and generalization of features organization of command structure of the army ancient states of the Northern Black Sea region: Olbia, Chersonese, Bosporus. Author sure that the foundation of the armed forces of these states was a civil militia – free, economically independent landowners, endowed with the broadest volume of political and social rights men – full citizens. Accordingly, the assemblies of citizens were electing strategists, who led militia forces. In case of need the people also claimed commanders’ mercenary troops. Bosporus kings have attracted a significant number of hired troops that held by the royal treasury income and special direct tax. Bosporus military command came from magistrates of polis only at the lower levels. Middle and higher level of «officer corps» of the Bosporus were appointed by the monarch from among the landowners, officialdom and military aristocracy. For example, in the Roman period on the Bosporus fixed formation units of cathafractarian cavalry. The weapons and tactics of the Sarmatian nomadic nobility (Aspurhianian, Sirak, Aorsy and more) were served as a model for Bosporus cataphractarian horsemen.
