02-17-2015, 11:18 AM
Yes indeed; but I thought it might be useful, or at least amusing, to break it down into these component issues.
The virtual entirety of all of the discussions I have encountered on this topic are quite general. For instance, it is common to debate on whether the purpose was tactical or cultural, which is obviously not a question that can be conclusively answered. I was hoping that more specific topics might be worth discussing. For instance, I ask whether the use of a particular type of sword is more useful with a particular kind of shield in a particular type of combat. I have not found a discussion wherein the use of the gladius with the early imperial scutum is compared to the hypothetical use of the spatha with the early imperial scutum, absent all other issues, or any other discussion quite that specific. I don't expect to conclude whether this was an important causal factor in the changes that the military underwent. In fact, I didn't mean to ask for any answers to any "why" questions, because I don't believe these answers can be reliably obtained. I was mostly interested in those more knowledgeable than myself helping me to understand how, given that the changes occurred for whatever reason, they would have changed specific, even minute, aspects of battle.
Perhaps I should have searched more thoroughly, or tried harder to sift the desired information out from the old posts.
Cheers
The virtual entirety of all of the discussions I have encountered on this topic are quite general. For instance, it is common to debate on whether the purpose was tactical or cultural, which is obviously not a question that can be conclusively answered. I was hoping that more specific topics might be worth discussing. For instance, I ask whether the use of a particular type of sword is more useful with a particular kind of shield in a particular type of combat. I have not found a discussion wherein the use of the gladius with the early imperial scutum is compared to the hypothetical use of the spatha with the early imperial scutum, absent all other issues, or any other discussion quite that specific. I don't expect to conclude whether this was an important causal factor in the changes that the military underwent. In fact, I didn't mean to ask for any answers to any "why" questions, because I don't believe these answers can be reliably obtained. I was mostly interested in those more knowledgeable than myself helping me to understand how, given that the changes occurred for whatever reason, they would have changed specific, even minute, aspects of battle.
Perhaps I should have searched more thoroughly, or tried harder to sift the desired information out from the old posts.
Cheers
sorush
