Equestrian wealth?

[sullafelix]

I am looking for sources on equestrian (equites/eques) landholdings in the Second Century BC in Italy (nothing too specific hey?) Does anything spring to mind for anyone? Third Century would be even better. I need to be able to quantify their wealth or at least their realtive wealth to the rest of the population. Basically I just need enough information to have a stab at proving the affordability of slaves in agriculture at this time.

 

There is nothing in Velleius Paterculus and precious little in Livy. I don't think Tenney Frank has the right information. Any ideas anyone??

[swam]

I'm no expert, but maybe you could look for Gaius Marius. I would imagine there is a lot of information on him, and his family seems to fit the bill.

[caldrail]

I am looking for sources on equestrian (equites/eques) landholdings in the Second Century BC in Italy (nothing too specific hey?) Does anything spring to mind for anyone? Third Century would be even better. I need to be able to quantify their wealth or at least their realtive wealth to the rest of the population. Basically I just need enough information to have a stab at proving the affordability of slaves in agriculture at this time.

 

There is nothing in Velleius Paterculus and precious little in Livy. I don't think Tenney Frank has the right information. Any ideas anyone??

 

I don't have enough info to help you directly, but you might want to take a look at the organisation of the Comitia Centuriata, whose top band were the 'cavalry' of peoples voting assembly and were to become the equeatrian order. Perhaps this might point you in the right direction?

[M. Porcius Cato]

This is an old post, but FWIW, there is copious data on this topic in Rosenstein's work, "Rome at War."

[Antiochus III]

Were all equites classified as equestrians? I don't think so, but does anyone kow for sure? Also, in the manipular legions, did they use any auxiliary cavalry?

 

Antiochus III

[caldrail]

Equites as equestrians? That depends on the period. In the older citizen army (the greek based hoplite style) the top band of soldiery were the only ones with enough cash to equip themselves as cavalry, given the expense of purchasing and keeping a horse, and this carried over to civilian life in the Comitia Centuriata, where the top band were the 'cavalry' of society because of there wealth and so became known as equestrians. Later of course horses were sometimes privided by circumstance or necessity, and Caesar for instance simply told a number of his troops that they were now cavalry. Auxillary cavalry weren't even citizens of Rome anyway so they could hardly be described as equestrian. So no, equites are not always equestrians, but it does depend on which period.