04-12-2009, 11:11 PM
Title adopted, of course, from Agesilaos' (3) reference on the Macedonian phalanx thread.
Firstly, I must send a warm thank you to Paullus for the hospitality, company and case of Penfold's red consumed on the night in question. Also for Wary's Warfare in the Ancient World. This is a rather large (coffee table) book excellently illustrated. Many a battle diagram is also included along with a "potted" description of the battle. A pity Gabiene did not make it but, you can't have them all. And, yes, we did agree on much. A worry that...
I have some rather serious issues with the Hydaspes rendition (and one or two others, but they're for when I return home). The Hydaspes rendition has the phalanx made up (going from memory - book is up in the room and I'm on a lobby machine) of the hypaspists and "Greek Mercenaries". Whilst nothing is really certain about the stationing of Coenus' cavalry - and that of Demetrius - it is logical that it charged from behind the left of the phalanx at the moment that Porus commits his right cavalry to the battle out on his left wing involving the Dahe and Companions. There are no Greek mercenaries (nor are there "Illyrians") in the phalanx for this battle. In fact, in a stark indication of the size of the army of Porus, Alexander took the royal hypaspists. The regular hypaspists and two brigades of of the phalanx (Clitus and Coenus). the only other infantry are the Agrianes and archers. The rest is cavalry. Arrian's account clearly has only these troops in the battle narrative. It is with these troops that Alexander first crushes Porus' forces force together and then surrounds with the intent of killing as many as possible in the time available. Only when this happens and the Indians break the cordon do we hear of Craterus' troops joining in the pusuit.
Reconstructions which suppose that the mercenaries (and others under Meleagher) join in when battle is engaged - as do Craterus' brigades - are not supported by the available source material. Nor is an army of 30-50,000 infantry for Porus a reality. Indeed if the spacing of the elephants is correct, Porus has a Persian style polyglot of rediculous numbers which Alexander takes on with the hypapspist brigades and two regular brigades of infantry.
Bit like disrespecting the bowling in an Ashes Test that...
Firstly, I must send a warm thank you to Paullus for the hospitality, company and case of Penfold's red consumed on the night in question. Also for Wary's Warfare in the Ancient World. This is a rather large (coffee table) book excellently illustrated. Many a battle diagram is also included along with a "potted" description of the battle. A pity Gabiene did not make it but, you can't have them all. And, yes, we did agree on much. A worry that...
I have some rather serious issues with the Hydaspes rendition (and one or two others, but they're for when I return home). The Hydaspes rendition has the phalanx made up (going from memory - book is up in the room and I'm on a lobby machine) of the hypaspists and "Greek Mercenaries". Whilst nothing is really certain about the stationing of Coenus' cavalry - and that of Demetrius - it is logical that it charged from behind the left of the phalanx at the moment that Porus commits his right cavalry to the battle out on his left wing involving the Dahe and Companions. There are no Greek mercenaries (nor are there "Illyrians") in the phalanx for this battle. In fact, in a stark indication of the size of the army of Porus, Alexander took the royal hypaspists. The regular hypaspists and two brigades of of the phalanx (Clitus and Coenus). the only other infantry are the Agrianes and archers. The rest is cavalry. Arrian's account clearly has only these troops in the battle narrative. It is with these troops that Alexander first crushes Porus' forces force together and then surrounds with the intent of killing as many as possible in the time available. Only when this happens and the Indians break the cordon do we hear of Craterus' troops joining in the pusuit.
Reconstructions which suppose that the mercenaries (and others under Meleagher) join in when battle is engaged - as do Craterus' brigades - are not supported by the available source material. Nor is an army of 30-50,000 infantry for Porus a reality. Indeed if the spacing of the elephants is correct, Porus has a Persian style polyglot of rediculous numbers which Alexander takes on with the hypapspist brigades and two regular brigades of infantry.
Bit like disrespecting the bowling in an Ashes Test that...
Paralus|Michael Park
Ἐπὶ τοὺς πατέρας, ὦ κακαὶ κεφαλαί, τοὺς μετὰ Φιλίππου καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου τὰ ὅλα κατειργασμένους
Wicked men, you are sinning against your fathers, who conquered the whole world under Philip and Alexander!
Academia.edu
Ἐπὶ τοὺς πατέρας, ὦ κακαὶ κεφαλαί, τοὺς μετὰ Φιλίππου καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου τὰ ὅλα κατειργασμένους
Wicked men, you are sinning against your fathers, who conquered the whole world under Philip and Alexander!
Academia.edu
