03-08-2013, 07:09 PM
Nathan Ross wrote:
The action of topoi, perhaps? Or a suggestion that these kind of tactics were frequently used to defeat cavalry?
:wink:
It seems to me all literature, all topoi, have a connection to reality. Just not necessarilly the reality the text refers to. Sometimes a topos is plausible, sometimes its uncongruousness stands out a mile, in other cases it is not so easy to discern. Frontinus wanted to add authority to his stratagems by claiming with more or less plausibility a historical precedent. Thank you for referring to him.
Here is another of legionaries charging Parthian cataphracts from the battle-field, Plutarchus' Antony 39. Anthony tries to surprise the Parthians by making his army move off in column in front of their crescent battle array, as if to retreat, and then orders his men to charge. The Roman cavalry is received and repelled, but as soon as the legionaries approach the Parthians they turn and flee, peppering the Romans with the Parthian shot.
A typical Roman "victory" over an Iranian army: the Romans charged and their opponents fled, suffering hardly any casualties. Only once the Romans had been so reckless as to allow for an all out pursuit, and that led to the extermination of Publius' cavalry. When the Romans wisely retreated, the Iranians were soon back again, harassing them with a hail of arrows. Usually, the Romans only succeeded inflicting severe casualties when they reached the huge mob of foot servants the Iranians took with them on their campaigns. The Roman cavalry was usually inferior in both numbers and quality to the excellent oriental cavalry.
Oh. and Plutarchus Anthony 44: The Roman legionaries forming up in kneeling testudo as the Parthians start shooting at them, and as the Parthians laid aside their bows, grabbed their lances and recklessly charged the legionaries, the latter sprang up, attacked and routed them, cutting down the horsemen that could not get away in time.
Robert Vermaat wrote:
Well, actually I do not remember, but I could have sworn you added something about the Battle of Tigranocerta, but I no longer see it. Am I mistaken, Robert?
The action of topoi, perhaps? Or a suggestion that these kind of tactics were frequently used to defeat cavalry?
:wink:
It seems to me all literature, all topoi, have a connection to reality. Just not necessarilly the reality the text refers to. Sometimes a topos is plausible, sometimes its uncongruousness stands out a mile, in other cases it is not so easy to discern. Frontinus wanted to add authority to his stratagems by claiming with more or less plausibility a historical precedent. Thank you for referring to him.
Here is another of legionaries charging Parthian cataphracts from the battle-field, Plutarchus' Antony 39. Anthony tries to surprise the Parthians by making his army move off in column in front of their crescent battle array, as if to retreat, and then orders his men to charge. The Roman cavalry is received and repelled, but as soon as the legionaries approach the Parthians they turn and flee, peppering the Romans with the Parthian shot.
A typical Roman "victory" over an Iranian army: the Romans charged and their opponents fled, suffering hardly any casualties. Only once the Romans had been so reckless as to allow for an all out pursuit, and that led to the extermination of Publius' cavalry. When the Romans wisely retreated, the Iranians were soon back again, harassing them with a hail of arrows. Usually, the Romans only succeeded inflicting severe casualties when they reached the huge mob of foot servants the Iranians took with them on their campaigns. The Roman cavalry was usually inferior in both numbers and quality to the excellent oriental cavalry.
Oh. and Plutarchus Anthony 44: The Roman legionaries forming up in kneeling testudo as the Parthians start shooting at them, and as the Parthians laid aside their bows, grabbed their lances and recklessly charged the legionaries, the latter sprang up, attacked and routed them, cutting down the horsemen that could not get away in time.
Robert Vermaat wrote:
Well, actually I do not remember, but I could have sworn you added something about the Battle of Tigranocerta, but I no longer see it. Am I mistaken, Robert?
