12-11-2008, 09:22 PM
Thank you Carsten. You bring forward some interesting points and this comment got me thinking again
Well if not his responsibility then whose? I would think that the legate, as any good field commander, should know whats being done by his subordinates even if he didn't issue the direct order himself. Surely he would have compiled and issued standards of march himself or in consultation with his senior staff ( i.e. scouts to always ride x miles to the front and or wings of the column etc.). As over all commander, it behooves him to know in order to correctly assess the tactical situation. Is my understanding of the legates duty incorrect. Is he not comparable to a general officer in a line position comparable to a battalion or divisional commander or higher (depending on command of one legion, several or an army group)?
In Varus' case, I see him as a divisional commander of sorts and while he may not have had responsibility in the day to day workings of each individual legion, he did hold responsibility for the overall enterprise and I can't see how he would have abrogated this to others. I think he must have been the guy giving the orders and perhaps his subordinates, in an effort to stay on his good side or curry favour, didn't fight him on decisions. I would have to think that Roman armies are no different from modern ones where the attitude is often "go along to get along". The much more experienced may have grumbled but marched on anyway.
Its another interesting question just exactly how did the officer corp interact with one another was there freedom of thought and exchange of idea or was it more autocratic? I think, with the almost constant desire for personal advancement and enrichment as a subtext to everything in daily Roman life, it was likely quite autocratic.
The deeper you dig, the more you learn and the less you really know. Fabulous stuff!
Cheers all,
Pict.
Quote:Furthermore sending scouts and such military details did not belong to his tasks as legat and regardless of that I think its safe to assume that scouts indeed were ahead since this is a standard procedure for a legion on the march which Varus had no business changing.
Well if not his responsibility then whose? I would think that the legate, as any good field commander, should know whats being done by his subordinates even if he didn't issue the direct order himself. Surely he would have compiled and issued standards of march himself or in consultation with his senior staff ( i.e. scouts to always ride x miles to the front and or wings of the column etc.). As over all commander, it behooves him to know in order to correctly assess the tactical situation. Is my understanding of the legates duty incorrect. Is he not comparable to a general officer in a line position comparable to a battalion or divisional commander or higher (depending on command of one legion, several or an army group)?
In Varus' case, I see him as a divisional commander of sorts and while he may not have had responsibility in the day to day workings of each individual legion, he did hold responsibility for the overall enterprise and I can't see how he would have abrogated this to others. I think he must have been the guy giving the orders and perhaps his subordinates, in an effort to stay on his good side or curry favour, didn't fight him on decisions. I would have to think that Roman armies are no different from modern ones where the attitude is often "go along to get along". The much more experienced may have grumbled but marched on anyway.
Its another interesting question just exactly how did the officer corp interact with one another was there freedom of thought and exchange of idea or was it more autocratic? I think, with the almost constant desire for personal advancement and enrichment as a subtext to everything in daily Roman life, it was likely quite autocratic.
The deeper you dig, the more you learn and the less you really know. Fabulous stuff!
Cheers all,
Pict.
Andrew son of Andrew of the family Michie, of the clan Forbes highlanders to a man from our noble forebears the blue painted Pict, scourge of the legions.
