Roman Battle Formations Mid Republic to Late Rep.

[Bryan]

"He gave the command of the left wing to Antonius, of the right to P. Sulla, and of the center to Cn. Domitius: he himself took his post opposite Pompey." 3:89

Shows that command of the line was broken to independent commanders

"...he rapidly drafted a single cohort from each of the legions composing the third line, formed of them a fourth line..." 3:89

"When Caesar perceived this, he gave the signal to his fourth line, which he had formed of the six cohorts." 3:93

Six cohorts, one from each line, means 6 Legions present under Caesar at Pharsalus

"At the same time Caesar ordered his third line to advance, which till then had not been engaged, but had kept their post." 3:94

The third line of the army consisted of two cohorts per legion. The front line was of four cohorts per legion. There was an interval between legions. There is no possible way that the two cohorts of each legion for a total of 12 cohorts for the entire front line could have matched the melee of both Caesar and Pompeius' front line already fighting.

C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C
C
C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C
C
C C C C C C C C C C C C C
1. 2. 3. C
4. C

1. Command of Marcus Antonius
2. Command of Gnaeus Domitius Calvinus
3. Command of Publius Cornelius Sulla
4. Overall Command and position of Caesar

This