The Greek word for cavalry, hippeis (often translated as 'nobles' or 'knights'), was simply a term for one of the wealthier classes of a Greek polis. For example there were four classes of wealth in Athens: at the very top were the pentekosiornedimnoi (those whose income was at least 500 units of produce), followed by the hippeis (300-500 units), and together these made up the upper-classes, both the aristocracy of the 'old families' and the neoplouteis (nouveau riche).

After these came the zeugitai (200-300 units), which were the 'middleclass' and formed the hoplite phalanx of the army or served as marines. Last were the thetes, the poorest class, who were the rowers of the triremes and fought as skirmishers on land.

Because such a majority of our evidence comes from Athens, I will focus on Athenian cavalry, although much that is true of the Athenians applies to the cavalry of other poleis. A brief survey of the cavalry of other states follows to highlight some of the differences.

Spartan cavalry during mid 4th century B.C.E. was not good. This is not surprising, as according to Xenophon they were made up of the dregs of Spartan society and didn't even train! "The cavalry was at its worst during this period. The horse were kept by the wealthiest members of state, but whenever the army was called out, a substitute was appointed. These troopers were the least able bodied: raw recruits set simply astride their horses, devoid of soldiery ambition." (Xenophon, Hellenika,6.4.10,11).

It should be pointed out that Xenophon is here speaking of the cavalry of the fourth century; perhaps they had declined considerably by then since their creation in 425. In fact, confusingly he later refers to the 'fame of the Lacadaemonian horse' "The exploits of Lacadaemonian horse were well known throughout the country." (Xen. Hipparchikos. 9.4)

He mentions mercenaries as well so perhaps is alluding to King Agesilaos' cavalry force, which was not only Spartan but multinational.

Argos seems to have had no cavalry whatsoever in the fifth century. This had been somewhat remedied by the fourth century, although the only report we have of its cavalry in action has the entire force routed by the Phliasian horse which was only sixty men strong: "Notwithstanding the Argive rear was composed of horse with some companies of foot in support, the Phlisian horse sixty in number attacked and routed this whole rearguard." (Xen, Hell. 7.2.4).

Corinth's first attested action is in 370: "Again when Iphikrates (Athenian commander) wished to see if whether or not the Boeotians had passed Oneion he sent out a reconnaissance the whole Athenian and Corinthian horse." (Xen. Hell, 6.5.52).

(Ed. Note. Herodotus mentions Corinthian horse during the Persian wars. It would be surprising if the Corinthians did not have horse, their pottery show horse during the 6th-5th century. Also legends have it a Corinthian invented the Greek bridle. Perhaps what Xenophon is referring to is skirmishing horse modeled on the Athenian and Boeotian style. The Persian War's horse were likely mounted hoplites. sfp)

This lack of a cavalry tradition would appear to apply to the entire Peloponnesus, with the possible exceptions of Elis and Phlious. The cavalry of Greece north of Attica (Thebes, Thessaly, Macedon and Greek Thrace) is recognized as having been of a higher quality than that of their southern cousins, but even these are often regarded as simply able to maintain an ordinary standard. While it is true that the Northerners' cavalry sometimes performed better than other Greek horsemen, there are specific reasons for this which shed much light on Greek cavahy and its use in general.

Lack of availability of horses in Southern Greece is itself a factor, but not a great one. Thessaly and Macedon are not far away from the rest of Greece. Historians have sometimes explained this geographical disparity of quality in cavalry by stating that the country of central and southern Greece is not suitable for cavalry. This is true; but it is not suitable for hoplites, and the hoplites of the south were recognized as the best in Greece throughout the Classical period. We need to look outside of demographics for an explanation of the superiority of northern Greek cavalry.

We are all political animals, but the Greeks were exceptionally political - no aspect of ancient Greek culture or history can be accurately viewed outside of politics. And the most important reason for this apparent diversity in performance between cavalry of the North and that of the South was political.

Politics and Power

In a land dominated by endemic war, political power in the state went to those who were the primary warriors of the polis. In the so-called Dark Age of ancient Greece (ca. 1150-900), and the Geometric Age (ca. 900-700), the aristocracy ruled the state, and cavalry, and perhaps chariots, were the essential arm of the military. Then some time in the eighth or seventh century, the middle classes, the hoplites, became the most important soldiers in Greece with the development of the true phalanx.

These expanded their dominance of the battlefield to the realm of politics and became the leading political class. Although they often chose members of the aristocracy as their chief magistrates, the key word is 'chose'.

As a further indication of this general political movement, when Athens' navy became her most important arm, during the Peloponnesian War, the thetes, who rowed the triremes, became politically pre-eminent, and indeed controlled the democracy to a large extent during that war. In the fifth and fourth centuries, when our main primary sources lived, the zeugitai class, and later the thetes, were thus very reluctant to allow the aristocracy, fighting as cavalry, the chance to dominate the battlefield, knowing that it was by this very means that they themselves had gained political ascendancy.

The cavalry of many Greek states was often viewed with some suspicion by the governing classes. Indeed, aside from this causing their potential to not be realized, our sources may well have felt restricted in the praise and attention they could pay to the cavalry; our sources often neglect the cavalry, even in instances in which they played an important role.

This suspicion of the hippeis was not only true of democracies. Even in oligarchic states, 'the few' who ruled were selected according to wealth, not family lineage, and it appears that the merchant classes were the pre-eminent group in most oligarchic states and kept the old aristocracy in check.

Taking into account this political situation, it is no surprise that the cavalry of the northern Greek states are the most highly regarded. These states were the least democratic, and monarchy and the aristocracy were very much in power; the potential of their cavalry was thus given full rein. Sparta is the exceptional case (as usual) in that although her aristocracy, in as much as she had one, was very much in power. Her elite did not fight on horseback but in the phalanx.

Preface and Introduction
The Greek Hippeis
The North and South
Training
Organization
Equipment
Combat Effectiveness
Conclusion