ProjectSeleukid - Tarantine cavalry

Joining my 28mm Seleukid army is a small two-company unit of Tarentine light horse. These are lovely figures from Aventine Miniatures.

Originally hailing from the Greek city of Taras in south Italy, Tarantine cavalry developed a reputation as superb light horsemen, fighting with javelin and shield, in the late fouth-early third centirues BC. As the Helleinstic period proceeded, Tarantines appear in armies across the Mediterranean. 

By the time you get to the 2nd century BC, it is impossible to know if the Tarentines fighting for the Seleukids were genuine Italiote Greeks, or if the title had become a psuedo-ethnic, applied to all cavalry that fought in the manner made famous by the Tarantines, skirmishing with shield and javelin. 

Regardless, the shield devices chosen for this unit - tiny, tiny, dolphins, are inspired by the autonomous silver coinage of Taras which often showed a horseman on one side (usually the obverse), and the eponymous hero riding a dolphin on the other.