10-09-2011, 11:12 PM
The Cohort System
As I said before the Maniple system of fighting legions worked well against well disciplined phalanx armies and would have worked just as well against nondisciplined armies of Celts/Gauls that the Romans frequently encountered in wars in the 3rd and 2nd century BC.
The biggest argument many have against gaps is that the barbarian armies will simply break ranks and charge into the gaps swallowing up the maniples. Could happen, but I don't think it would have worked for two reasons.
1. The undisciplined Celtic/German rabble wouldn't have been that undisciplined. Think about it, they gathered an army, fed it, organized it, marched it to the battlefield. Probably broke it down into families, clans, war bands, tribes who each served under capitaneus, chieftains or "Head Men". These men probably had some power to enforce their will on others, hence discipline.
2. If they did fight their way into the gaps it wouldn't serve a purpose since the maniples could peel Romans off from the back and defend themselves with pilum or swords if necessary. If it got to the point where so many had broken ranks to flank the maniples then its time to send in the principe maniples. The loose uncohesive front ranks of the enemy would not be able to stand against the principes who are now on the second line so they would retreat. Which would cause others to retreat, so on and so forth.
So the maniple system worked extremely well until the Romans noticed a few things (and its generally accredited to Marius so I should say he noticed it).
The formation is inflexible. Every time the Romans use this formation they do it the same way. Allies on the wings in ala, organized like them according to Livy, hold the flanks while the two consular legions in the center punch through the center of the line. Effective but predictable and inflexible. (Later wars consuls could show up with up to four legions and equal number of allied legions.)
Its a major coincidence that the time that the Cimbri War started is the time generally given to Marius for reorganizing the legions. Why you ask? Because the five times that Roman armies had attempted to fight the 300,000 warrior of the Cimbri (see whistles thread for source) confederation the traditional maniple system just wasn't heavy enough. 120 man maniples could not support themselves in battle, not enough men. They could get swallowed up too easily. The other problem would be that however the Cimbri formed up (probably shield wall very deep) it made deploying in the traditional three lines of maniples stupid. What about actual units to protect flanks, what about defensive positions on hills or ridge lines? Can't do that with three long lines.
So what did Marius do? He reformed the legion's organization by increasing the size of the fighting force. He took a maniple from each of the three lines and reorganized them into a cohort. He also put the veteran soldiers of the Triari on the front line since you know, they were veterans. Since they are not on the third line anymore but at the front right of the cohort they are now named Pilus (hair folicle or file).
Organizing legions and armies into cohorts make sense. The imperator/dux can now organize his lines however he sees fit. One line, two, three, four its up to the commander how he wants to station his now extremely flexible legions. Separate flanking attacks, a fourth independent line to stop cavalry, whatever.
Now comes the argument about how they formed in battle. So answer, probably however the imperator/dux wanted them to be. I could see Marius using the maniples and centuries of the cohort similarly to how the maniples were used before. Except know their were three maniples next to each other instead of just one, much larger forces, 480 vs. 120, able to defend themselves, support each other within the cohort and deal a heavy enough blow to the enemy.
Keeping the gaps would have worked as well. Same principle applies, front line of cohorts attack, withdrawal back or hold if they get stuck, second line advance and get it stuck in as well. Soon both front lines are committed. centuries withing the cohort can relieve themselves during battle while the two lines continue to pummel the enemy lines like a boxer giving a 1-2 combination.
Later on more innovation came when they realized that since Legions fought slightly separated from one another (De Bello Civili, 3:89) that it would help to have a stronger right side, so someone beefed up the 1st cohort.
Maybe after fighting each other a few times in Sulla's civil war and later against Sertorius in Spain more innovations happened. Commanders started to realize they could put the centuries within a cohort on line.
So we have multiple formations to choose from. Cohorts in maniples, cohorts in centuries on line. Intervals between cohorts, no intervals, it was all up to the commander.
The thing I have realized it that victory in battle is not assured just because you place your men in a certain formation. If they are motivated, well led and put on good ground in decent enough formations they will probably win if you also use whatever other resources you have (ie. Cavalry, light infantry, archers, slingers).
[attachment=1886]2Cohortlegion.jpg[/attachment]
[attachment=1885]1Cohortlegion.jpg[/attachment]
As I said before the Maniple system of fighting legions worked well against well disciplined phalanx armies and would have worked just as well against nondisciplined armies of Celts/Gauls that the Romans frequently encountered in wars in the 3rd and 2nd century BC.
The biggest argument many have against gaps is that the barbarian armies will simply break ranks and charge into the gaps swallowing up the maniples. Could happen, but I don't think it would have worked for two reasons.
1. The undisciplined Celtic/German rabble wouldn't have been that undisciplined. Think about it, they gathered an army, fed it, organized it, marched it to the battlefield. Probably broke it down into families, clans, war bands, tribes who each served under capitaneus, chieftains or "Head Men". These men probably had some power to enforce their will on others, hence discipline.
2. If they did fight their way into the gaps it wouldn't serve a purpose since the maniples could peel Romans off from the back and defend themselves with pilum or swords if necessary. If it got to the point where so many had broken ranks to flank the maniples then its time to send in the principe maniples. The loose uncohesive front ranks of the enemy would not be able to stand against the principes who are now on the second line so they would retreat. Which would cause others to retreat, so on and so forth.
So the maniple system worked extremely well until the Romans noticed a few things (and its generally accredited to Marius so I should say he noticed it).
The formation is inflexible. Every time the Romans use this formation they do it the same way. Allies on the wings in ala, organized like them according to Livy, hold the flanks while the two consular legions in the center punch through the center of the line. Effective but predictable and inflexible. (Later wars consuls could show up with up to four legions and equal number of allied legions.)
Its a major coincidence that the time that the Cimbri War started is the time generally given to Marius for reorganizing the legions. Why you ask? Because the five times that Roman armies had attempted to fight the 300,000 warrior of the Cimbri (see whistles thread for source) confederation the traditional maniple system just wasn't heavy enough. 120 man maniples could not support themselves in battle, not enough men. They could get swallowed up too easily. The other problem would be that however the Cimbri formed up (probably shield wall very deep) it made deploying in the traditional three lines of maniples stupid. What about actual units to protect flanks, what about defensive positions on hills or ridge lines? Can't do that with three long lines.
So what did Marius do? He reformed the legion's organization by increasing the size of the fighting force. He took a maniple from each of the three lines and reorganized them into a cohort. He also put the veteran soldiers of the Triari on the front line since you know, they were veterans. Since they are not on the third line anymore but at the front right of the cohort they are now named Pilus (hair folicle or file).
Organizing legions and armies into cohorts make sense. The imperator/dux can now organize his lines however he sees fit. One line, two, three, four its up to the commander how he wants to station his now extremely flexible legions. Separate flanking attacks, a fourth independent line to stop cavalry, whatever.
Now comes the argument about how they formed in battle. So answer, probably however the imperator/dux wanted them to be. I could see Marius using the maniples and centuries of the cohort similarly to how the maniples were used before. Except know their were three maniples next to each other instead of just one, much larger forces, 480 vs. 120, able to defend themselves, support each other within the cohort and deal a heavy enough blow to the enemy.
Keeping the gaps would have worked as well. Same principle applies, front line of cohorts attack, withdrawal back or hold if they get stuck, second line advance and get it stuck in as well. Soon both front lines are committed. centuries withing the cohort can relieve themselves during battle while the two lines continue to pummel the enemy lines like a boxer giving a 1-2 combination.
Later on more innovation came when they realized that since Legions fought slightly separated from one another (De Bello Civili, 3:89) that it would help to have a stronger right side, so someone beefed up the 1st cohort.
Maybe after fighting each other a few times in Sulla's civil war and later against Sertorius in Spain more innovations happened. Commanders started to realize they could put the centuries within a cohort on line.
So we have multiple formations to choose from. Cohorts in maniples, cohorts in centuries on line. Intervals between cohorts, no intervals, it was all up to the commander.
The thing I have realized it that victory in battle is not assured just because you place your men in a certain formation. If they are motivated, well led and put on good ground in decent enough formations they will probably win if you also use whatever other resources you have (ie. Cavalry, light infantry, archers, slingers).
[attachment=1886]2Cohortlegion.jpg[/attachment]
[attachment=1885]1Cohortlegion.jpg[/attachment]
