A scara was a contingent or unit of soldiers, possibly cavalry, in Carolingian armies.
Etymology[]
The term (pl. scarae) is a Latinized form of an ancient German word meaning "group." (A modern descendant is the German word Schar, also meaning "group.") Members of the scara units were called scariti, escariti and scarii.
Function[]
Although of uncertain composition, the scarae are thought by many modern historians to have been permanently embodied units of elite cavalry, because in the primary sources they are generally described as being tasked to important missions that required mobility.
References[]
- Bachrach, Bernard S. Early Carolingian Warfare: Prelude to Empire. University of Pennsylvania Press, 2001.
The original article can be found at Scara and the edit history here.