Horse on a Roman mosaic in Ostia
Plutarch recognizes Gaius Gracchus as the person who, for the first time in the Roman Republic, ordered small stones to be placed by the road so that the horseman could, without any help, mount his horse.
This was a significant convenience when stirrups were unknown in Rome. These were not invented until around the 4th century CE in China, from where they also came to Europe around the 6th century CE by the Avars.
Romans used saddles that had a special construction. They had four corners, surrounding the seated person. In this way, the rider had a relatively stable position, despite the lack of stirrups.
Sources
- McKeown J. C., A Cabinet of Roman Curiosities: Strange Tales and Surprising Facts from the World's Greatest Empire, 2010
