05-15-2009, 01:25 PM
Hello,
As I understand it the romans did away with the phalanx in the late 4th century to be replaced by the more flexible maniple system suitable to the hilly terrain of Italy. However the early maniple system consisted of one line of skirmishers/swordsmen(hastati) and two of spearmen(principes, triarii) not to mention the specialized skirmishers(velites) attached to each line. The principes is believed to have changed from spears(hasta) to pila and gladii around the middle of the third century thus becoming the classical principes.
During the conflict with Pyrrhus I suppose the Spearmen outnumbered the the skirmisher/swordsmen and thus the equipment would not have differed much from that of spearmen in a phalanx formation while the style of fighting and tactics with the maniples would have been significally different.
My two cents would be on that state issued equipment met a minimum standard quite early thus supplying perhaps pectorales to the hastati, while the higher census classes probably would prefer or was made to buy their own better gear.
It is quite ironic that the state provided the richest of the rich with a free horse... Equites Equo Publico... Tradition I suppose..
As I understand it the romans did away with the phalanx in the late 4th century to be replaced by the more flexible maniple system suitable to the hilly terrain of Italy. However the early maniple system consisted of one line of skirmishers/swordsmen(hastati) and two of spearmen(principes, triarii) not to mention the specialized skirmishers(velites) attached to each line. The principes is believed to have changed from spears(hasta) to pila and gladii around the middle of the third century thus becoming the classical principes.
During the conflict with Pyrrhus I suppose the Spearmen outnumbered the the skirmisher/swordsmen and thus the equipment would not have differed much from that of spearmen in a phalanx formation while the style of fighting and tactics with the maniples would have been significally different.
My two cents would be on that state issued equipment met a minimum standard quite early thus supplying perhaps pectorales to the hastati, while the higher census classes probably would prefer or was made to buy their own better gear.
It is quite ironic that the state provided the richest of the rich with a free horse... Equites Equo Publico... Tradition I suppose..
Cheers,
Jesper
Jesper
