Murray Dahm, Byzantine Cavalryman versus Vandal Warrior (Osprey, 2023)
The Vandalic War, fought between 533 and 536 CE, is hardly the first war that springs to mind when discussing military history, but it was one with important ramifications for early medieval history. It is also a fascinating conflict, featuring one of the great commanders in Belisarius. In this excellent contribution to Osprey’s Combat series, Murray Dahm takes us into the action.
For those of us unfamiliar with the Vandalic War, Dahm’s introductory overview is clear and draws you into the story of this risky Byzantine expedition into North Africa. We move on to descriptions of the Byzantine and Vandal forces, the latter possibly consisting entirely of cavalry, though the evidence is admittedly sketchy. Dahm covers organisation, tactics, and equipment, deftly explaining the various technical terms that otherwise could become confusing. Three exemplar battles from the Vandalic War occupy the central portion of Dahm’s book: Ad Decimum (September 533), Tricamarum (December 533), and the Bagradas River and Scalae Veteres from 536. For each, Dahm presents the background, the action, and the result. In his analysis, Dahm highlights the crucial presence of Belisarius for Byzantine success, and he notes the surprising effectiveness of Byzantine cavalry in achieving battlefield victories. For the Vandals, their superiority in numbers masked critical weaknesses in morale and command that led to their defeat. Dahm concludes his survey with the aftermath of the Vandalic War, a story of continued Byzantine success and Vandal collapse. I should add a note here in praise of Dahm’s inclusion of a review of the sources and an excellent bibliography for such a slim volume.
The purpose of any history book is for the reader to come away from it better informed. Achieving that in 80 pages on a somewhat obscure war contested between two relatively unfamiliar powers is no mean feat. But Dahm succeeds admirably. His survey is based on Procopius, though Dahm engages profitably with his secondary sources to produce a well-balanced and well-written account. He is ably supported by Osprey’s usual high quality illustrations and maps, creating a book that is an excellent introduction to the period and a fascinating conflict.
