07-09-2014, 04:37 PM
Quote:The other interesting point is that someone made the statement that centurions could direct their maniples more flexibly than a Hellenistic commander could control a phalanx. I thought in another thread we had largely concluded that centurions did not "command" their maniples, but rather led from the front by example, thereby precluding any flexible "maneuvering." :wink:
Fighting in front, back, sideways, whatever, a centurion only commanded a century, so how much maneuvering in battle could they do? Its only one unit. Maybe lead his men through a gully to exploit a gap in the enemy phalanx, like at Pydna? Get enough together like at Pharsalus and maybe they could stop a line from attacking to redress it but I doubt they could do the same in battle. I think there are plenty of examples of the flexibility of maniples being maneuvered in unusual ways, all being done by tribunes and other senior officers, who actually had the authority to maneuver units. Like at Cynoscephalae, some unnamed tribune pulled 20 maniples for the successful right and use to to hit the Macedonian Phalanx on the Roman left in the rear. Having multiple lines of reserves no doubt helped this. Committing a unit into battle means its committed.
