Late Roman Cavalry - Schola Scutariorum Clibanariorum

 

Above are some Late Roman cavalry, the Schola Scutariorum Clibanariorum, from Gripping Beast's Late Roman Cataphracts plastic set. These are based on the illustration in Andrey Negin and Raffaele D'Amato's Osprey book Roman Heavy Cavalry (1). The shield design is based on the versions in the Notitia Dignitatum but as Luke Ueda-Sarson points out on his site, these are not definitely identified with specific units:

http://lukeuedasarson.com/MagisterOfficiorumE.html

Below are Late Roman command figures by Footsore Miniatures and two Late Roman scorpions with crew by Wargames Foundry.

Late Roman Cavalry - Schola Scutariorum Prima

Here are some Late Roman Cavalry with LBM shield transfers, nine are Black Tree Designs, two Gripping Beast figures and a single A&A Miniatures. These have the possible shield designs of the Schola Scutariorum Prima, a guard cavalry unit, under the command of the Magister Officiorum (West) in the Notitia Dignitatum.

Late Roman Cavalry - Equites Honoriani Iuniores

Here are some Late Roman cavalry I've finally finished painting, from the new plastic Gripping Beast box set, Late Roman Heavy Cavalry. They are the Equites Honoriani Iuniores who were under the command of the Comes Africae in the Notitia Dignitatum. The shield transfers are by LBM. I added a draco from a spare from the plastic Late Roman infantry box. The horse and riders are the same basic poses from the unarmoured Dark Age cavalry set Gripping Beast released last year.

These could easily be used to make armoured barbarian cavalry like Goths and Vandals as there are round or oval shields and plenty of helmeted head options. There are few minor issues - there are no saddles on the horses only saddle cloths, the spears have no butt spikes and the bridles on the horses seem to be missing metal cross pieces but these could be easily fixed with some modelling putty if it bothers you that much. Many metal Late Roman cavalry ranges are the same.

Late Roman Cavalry - Schola Gentilium Seniorum

Here are some Late Roman cavalry that I've just finished painting. These are the Schola Gentilium Seniorum, a guard cavalry unit. In the Notitia Diginatum, they were part of both the Western and the Eastern Roman army, under the respective Western and Eastern commands of the Magister Officiorum, commanders of the Scholae Palatinae. Most of the figures and horses are by Black Tree Designs, with a single A&A and a single Westwind rider and horse. The shield transfers are by LBM.

I've just ordered a box of the new plastic Gripping Beast Late Roman cavalry and can't wait to get my hands on them! Their Late Roman plastic infantry set was superb and is one of the best plastic Roman sets around.