THE DAUNII AT WAR

In 279 BC, a force of Daunians from Arpi numbering 4000 infantry and 400 cavalrymen, allies of the Romans, found themselves behind the camp of Pyrrhus of Epirus during the battle of Asculum. Upon realizing the lack of men defending the area, they soon surrounded and looted the camp, setting it ablaze before a relief force sent by Pyrrhus could come to the rescue. This impressive feat notwithstanding, the Daunii and their soldiery are rarely visualized despite the treasure trove of art they left behind.

Velite Aquila

The Daunians were an Iapgyian tribe from the region of Daunia in what is now northern Apulia (southeastern Italy). Descendants of Illyrian migrants, by the late 4th century BC they had been influenced by the Italic tribes surrounding them as well as the Hellenistic Greeks coming in from the south. From what was once the ancient towns of Canosa and Arpi comes an artistic treasure trove consisting of Canosan-style pottery. Used for funerary purposes, these pots had polychrome scenes of gods, goddesses, myths and warriors. These pots and vases also had terracotta figurines attached on and around the sides, depicting polychrome warriors. These figurines were often cavalrymen, which bear obvious witness to their Italic and Hellenistic influences. Greek style Phrygian, Attic and Boetian helmets are visible on many of these…

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Ancient Warfare (Digital) - 1 Issue, AW XVIII.1

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