Rare Roman Horse Spur

$442.30

A rare Roman horse spur featuring perforations and a decorative stepped feature to the neck. The spur has three holes on each ‘arm’, two of which are large and one which is smaller. These would have allowed for the spur to be attached to the rider’s shoe/boot. The neck is decorated with an interesting stepped design with a spherical tip.

Date: 1st - 3rd Century AD
Condition: Good condition.

SOLD

SKU: AS-1614 Category: Tags: ,

Horses were integral to the prosperity of the Roman Empire: being indispensable in a military context, among others. An abundance of evidence survives to give us insight into the equipment used, and how the horses were used in turn. Roman saddles were made of wood and leather: although quite uncomfortable for the horse, the distinctive shape (with four upraised ‘horns’) allowed the rider to grip onto the saddle with his legs. This provided the rider with the required stability, whilst leaving both hands free to operate weaponry. Many Roman military tombstones depict soldiers on horseback, with their swords raised to smite a ‘barbarian’ (a non-Roman).

This spur would have been used in the Roman Empire, attached to the heel of the rider’s boot in warfare.

Weight 89.3 g
Dimensions L 11.5 cm
Region

Culture

Metal