Knight type class in Roman style game

[Graybeard]

Hi all,

I am planning a Roman style campaign to run in the near future. One of my players wants to play a Knight. Obviously, Rome had no Knights but can anyone suggest something similar? Essentially, the campaign will take place in a rough;y middle ages time period with the Roman Empire surviving.

Thanks

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

A high ranking Centurian would work. Born into a noble family...or even someone older could work, a Senator type. Stat wise a Fighter would work just fine

 

[stevo the yak]

Why wouldnt a paladin or fighter going into cavalier work. If a Roman-type empire survived into the middle ages in all likelyhood they would have their own knights.

 

[Old One]

You could do an extension of the old Equestrian Order (Equites) and modernize them a bit. Here is a good link that discusses the background and development of the Equites through early Roman history:

Equites

What you may find through the reading is that many of the tenants of the Equite class carried over to early knights (ie, wealthy enough to purchase a horse and equipment + owing duty to the state under the Republic and the Emperor later on). One twist to set them apart from traditional knights would be to morph them into Byzantine Anatolian Cavalry - essentially cavalry that relies on medium armor, fast horses, good swordwork and composite bows instead of a heavy lance charge.

~ OO

 

[tarchon]

The Romans often used foreign cavalry, though, contrary to the latest King Arthur movie, they weren't particularly knightlike. The Equites are a much better parallel, but they're a Republican phenomenon (a relic of the civilian army) that had largely disappeared by the Late Empire. Since you've evolved the Roman Empire into the Middle Ages, I'd say just treat them as standard medieval knights in whatever political context exists in your Roman Empire.

 

[Brennin Magalus]

As others have mentioned, the equites were the Roman equivalent of knights. Some titles you might consider for a Roman "knight" are Cataphractus and/or Eques Equo Publico (IMC, I feel free to mix Republican and Imperial terms--this is a game, not a history class).

 

[domino]

Something to consider, is that from everything I've ever heard, the Roman empire wouldn't much appreciate an unaffiliated soldier running around. You either were a part of the Legion, or an outlaw.

He could be detached as part of a specific mission, or everyone could be part of the same Century, or any of a list of options. A gladiator might work as well. I just thought I'd mention it.

 

[ephemeron]

Cavalry did get more prominent in the Roman military over time, so it wouldn't be hard to justify a Roman Empire that lasted a lot longer making heavy use of it. Alternately, auxiliary cavalry fought under Roman officers; a PC could be a member of an important family who started his military career as such an officer.

 

[S'mon]

Definitely look at the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantines _were_ the Roman empire survived into medieval times! I found the presentation of the Byzantines in the computer game Medieval Total War to be a great inspiration for Roman-esque Knights; it features several different sorts of 'Roman' heavy cavalry; the super-heavy Cataphractoi, the Pronoi Allegaion (sp?), the Byzantine Heavy Cavalry (who uses bows & lances and look a lot like a typical D&D mounted Fighter).

 

[Turanil]

If I may suggest this excellent old TSR supplement: GLORY OF ROME campaign sourcebbok. Available in pdf on rpgnow for only 5$. Although for 2e, it has excellent info on the Roman Empire for a D&D campaign setting.

Personally, I think that a knight doesn't fit as a character in a Roman campaign. Your player should read the Glory of Rome setting and choose something else, like a Legionnaire or Gladiator, which have little in common with a mediaval knight.