04-08-2009, 05:06 AM
Thukydides you magnificent bastard- I read your book!
Something Paralus wrote made me go back and read. We are told that "four men fought in the front rank of each enomotiai". Michael took this to mean the front 4 men of each file fought- as had I. Rereading it though, it makes more sense as the the fighting frontage of each enomotia was a rank of four men! If we have the fighting frontage, then we need only divide the enomotiai by 4 to get the fighting depth. 32/4= 8 ranks in fighting formation. To be fighting 4 ranks deep, the enomotiai would have to be only 16 men, which is unlikely. Perhaps someone will check the Greek, but if this stands, I think it is quite definative proof of a rank number being the fighting depth.
Something Paralus wrote made me go back and read. We are told that "four men fought in the front rank of each enomotiai". Michael took this to mean the front 4 men of each file fought- as had I. Rereading it though, it makes more sense as the the fighting frontage of each enomotia was a rank of four men! If we have the fighting frontage, then we need only divide the enomotiai by 4 to get the fighting depth. 32/4= 8 ranks in fighting formation. To be fighting 4 ranks deep, the enomotiai would have to be only 16 men, which is unlikely. Perhaps someone will check the Greek, but if this stands, I think it is quite definative proof of a rank number being the fighting depth.
Paul M. Bardunias
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A Spartan, being asked a question, answered "No." And when the questioner said, "You lie," the Spartan said, "You see, then, that it is stupid of you to ask questions to which you already know the answer!"
MODERATOR: [url:2dqwu8yc]http://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=4100[/url]
A Spartan, being asked a question, answered "No." And when the questioner said, "You lie," the Spartan said, "You see, then, that it is stupid of you to ask questions to which you already know the answer!"
