05-15-2011, 02:02 PM
I remember we had a big discussion like this once with the title "use of the drum - military cadence" a few years back. Can't find it, though.
...and that he relates it to marching, in order to prevent the colummn from being broken up.
This one came up in the last thread as well, and I decided to point out the problem in the argument by presenting a 12th century image of cavalry charging in step. Which is extremely common, and which I regard it as highly unlikely that they trained their horses to do. But it sure looks neat on an illumination or in stone. Thought the original artist.
I really don't get it when people who try to depict 1st century legionaires insist on using versions of Maurice's drill. It is half a millenium too late. Would you accept someone showing up with equipment half a millenium out of period? I realize that people really, really want foot drill for their displays, and that written sources sadly are rather scarce on the subject, but I think a far more useable method would have been to use contemporary descriptions of battle manouvers and work backward from them instead.
Quote:All we know for sure of what Vegetius knew of the "military step" is that it took 3 months for a recruit to learn.
...and that he relates it to marching, in order to prevent the colummn from being broken up.
Quote:But for what it's worth, (and we'll not solve this argument here) every metope that shows soldiers marching on the Adamklissi monument, and practically every coin shows soldiers marching in step.
This one came up in the last thread as well, and I decided to point out the problem in the argument by presenting a 12th century image of cavalry charging in step. Which is extremely common, and which I regard it as highly unlikely that they trained their horses to do. But it sure looks neat on an illumination or in stone. Thought the original artist.
I really don't get it when people who try to depict 1st century legionaires insist on using versions of Maurice's drill. It is half a millenium too late. Would you accept someone showing up with equipment half a millenium out of period? I realize that people really, really want foot drill for their displays, and that written sources sadly are rather scarce on the subject, but I think a far more useable method would have been to use contemporary descriptions of battle manouvers and work backward from them instead.
