The term denotes mounted soldiers, distinct from infantry, valued for mobility and tactical advantage. In Acts 23, Claudius Lysias deploys an extraordinary military escort—200 soldiers, 70 horsemen, and 200 spearmen—to protect Paul from assassination during his transfer to Caesarea (23:23). The scale of this detachment, especially the cavalry contingent, underscores the seriousness of the threat and the commander's determination to deliver Paul safely to the governor Felix. By verse 32, the infantry returns while the horsemen continue, suggesting the cavalry alone sufficed for the final leg of the journey.