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Jim WebsterI cannot remember who did the analysis, but the Logistic requirement of chariotry is huge as well as the more obvious expense of the Horses and the chariot itself.
That I can well imagine. You have two horses with at least as much harness, plus all the wear and tear on the chariot. But in the ‘logistics pool’ which is probably the charioteers extended household you need wheelwrights and other craftsmen. So definitely more than two cavalrymen would need
I wholly agree with all this. 1 horse down disables the vehicle at least for a time. This all assumes the chariot and crew survive the crash. Compared to cavalry, at worst, you lose 1 horse and 1 man. Logistically, the cavalryman can do most of the care and feeding of the horse. He need only take care of himself, the horse and all the gear that comes with riding and warfare. The charioteer and crew can take care of horses but a mechanic is also needed to maintain the chariot. And chariots cost way more money as you have to purchase 2-4 horses plus the chariot.
Remember that Chariot warriors and Gallic heavy cavalry were ‘gentlemen’, they would have a servant, probably armed to he could guard his master’s kit when it’s left behind in the camp when you go out to fight (to protect it from the light fingered in the camp), they would have somebody to gather forage for the horse, but this is true whether you’re talking about cavalry or chariots. 🙂
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