La cavalleria ateniese nel IV secolo. Un lusso utile?

The fourth century Athenian cavalry: a usefull luxury? - The fourth century is littered of wars and battles, military campaigns are the new normality, the continuous inconclusive fights wear down the financial resources of the polis and facilitate the creation of social issues. Moreover, after the Social War Athens loses allies and tributes. In spite of this situation Athens resolved to carry on with its funding system, which included per diem allowance and benefits to the cavalry, a military unit composed by the wealthy, unpopular among the citizens (especially after the Thirty Tyrants) and secondary in the battlefield. The “cons” against this state aid were substantial, but the cavalry was still within the revenue expenditures. The queries to whom I will try to answer in this paper are two: why financing the horsemen? And how much did the state spend to cover the outlays relative to the cavalrymen’s enlistement benefits and the daily edible provisions for the horses?