05-23-2013, 08:17 AM
Quote:...............
Yes this is what i meant( se pictures 1 and 2 ) But I was also thinking that maybe the starting deployment of maniple was an even closer formation( pictures 3 )a sort of cuneus, wich could allows the opening of gaps, formed by closing the files of the formation depicted in the second picture... to Mark: in the other thread you said that would not have had sense to extent maniples nor it would have been possible... In wich sense?
I've taken your nice neat picture element and now created my own (hence running out of time to reply yesterday) to help describe where I am coming from...
Picture 3 (unless I misunderstand) is obviously from a sculpted frieze and therefore represents an isometric style of projection - I therefore interpret it as soldiers in successive ranks in close-order and not in a 'cuneus', which I believe is normally translated as a 'wedge'.
So - my 4 piccies show: a standard 60-man part-century of Hastati/Principes marching on in close order facing the enemy (they could, however, march normally in this sort of formation in a true open order by having every second file march behind it's first and then move to this formation when the firsts halt); the second shows the transition formation that allows all the others to be formed from it - the century-level version of the quincunx; the third shows the soldiers having stepped to the right to open the lanes for transit my others (Velites); and the last showing the ranks closed up to receive a charge - full close order (which is what my very original drawing showed).
Take the forward 30 men of the century and scale them up so that each man represents an actual century and you see the same drill movements applied to a half-legion (so for a full put them side-by-side).
The whole point about not extending sideways once deployed is that it is simply not practicable once on the battlefield. If you are going to fight closed-up shield-to-shield, then you have to deploy on that basis from the outset. Trying to extend the actual frontage of any army in the face of the enemy is a tricky manoeuvre best accomplished with reserves and not any idea of getting everyone to shuffle side-ways.
