06-11-2023, 10:46 AM
Nathan wrote:
Hopefully this will broaden the debate, attract further study and spark some new thinking.
Yes, new thinking is needed. And the one that needs to be discussed again is the cavalry dash.
According to Polybius, while at Marseilles, Publius Scipio (father of Scipio Africanus), ordered his brother Gnaeus Scipio, with the greater part of the army, to proceed to Iberia, while Publius Scipio, with a small force, returned to Genoa in Italy. Polybius does not give the number of men that accompanied Scipio to Genoa. Luckily for us, Appian has Publius Scipio return to Italy in a single quinquereme, and with Polybius claiming a quinquereme can convey 120 soldiers, we have an answer. In 168 BC, the consul Scipio Nasica, in order to capture the Petra Pass took with him 8,000 men and a body of 120 cavalry. The 120 cavalry are the consul’s personal guard cavalry.
Following Polybius, at the Ticinus, Publius Scipio, in order to reconnoiter the Carthaginian army, took the whole of his cavalry, accompanied by his javelineers. Academic have incorrectly assumed that all of Scipio’s cavalry from his consular army went with him. No, just his 120-guard cavalry, and those light infantry allocated to a force of 120 cavalry. In Spain, Publius Scipio was killed while undertaking a reconnaissance. This is what consuls did, undertake risky recons.
So why is it not possible for Suetonius to recon ahead of his army with his guard cavalry, and maybe some explorates? It is a standard Roman military doctrine. Arrian gives his guards at about 200, which ticks my boxes. Comments have been made on this thread about Suetonius not travelling back the way he came with his army due to them eating everything out of house and home, and yet with just his guard cavalry, he can easily move back the way he came, because he hasn’t eaten everything out of house or home.
For me, Suetonius simply went ahead of his army with his guard cavalry, and when he had a clear picture of the situation, returned to his army. For Suetonius, his recon involved risks, but that was the role of an army commander.
Hopefully this will broaden the debate, attract further study and spark some new thinking.
Yes, new thinking is needed. And the one that needs to be discussed again is the cavalry dash.
According to Polybius, while at Marseilles, Publius Scipio (father of Scipio Africanus), ordered his brother Gnaeus Scipio, with the greater part of the army, to proceed to Iberia, while Publius Scipio, with a small force, returned to Genoa in Italy. Polybius does not give the number of men that accompanied Scipio to Genoa. Luckily for us, Appian has Publius Scipio return to Italy in a single quinquereme, and with Polybius claiming a quinquereme can convey 120 soldiers, we have an answer. In 168 BC, the consul Scipio Nasica, in order to capture the Petra Pass took with him 8,000 men and a body of 120 cavalry. The 120 cavalry are the consul’s personal guard cavalry.
Following Polybius, at the Ticinus, Publius Scipio, in order to reconnoiter the Carthaginian army, took the whole of his cavalry, accompanied by his javelineers. Academic have incorrectly assumed that all of Scipio’s cavalry from his consular army went with him. No, just his 120-guard cavalry, and those light infantry allocated to a force of 120 cavalry. In Spain, Publius Scipio was killed while undertaking a reconnaissance. This is what consuls did, undertake risky recons.
So why is it not possible for Suetonius to recon ahead of his army with his guard cavalry, and maybe some explorates? It is a standard Roman military doctrine. Arrian gives his guards at about 200, which ticks my boxes. Comments have been made on this thread about Suetonius not travelling back the way he came with his army due to them eating everything out of house and home, and yet with just his guard cavalry, he can easily move back the way he came, because he hasn’t eaten everything out of house or home.
For me, Suetonius simply went ahead of his army with his guard cavalry, and when he had a clear picture of the situation, returned to his army. For Suetonius, his recon involved risks, but that was the role of an army commander.
