[split] Distances between files and ranks

[Nathan Ross]

You can find the answer in Tacitus.

Do you have a reference? It's a little obscure otherwise!

In fact we could also look in Josephus (Wars III.6.2): "Vespasian set out from Ptolemais... with his army arranged in the usual Roman marching order" - that's six abreast; so a formation six or twelve or eighteen deep...

You need to reread my previous posting.

I did, but thanks for the clarification!

Rather than having the first maniple drawn up in one long line two deep, with the second maniple behind it, why not have both maniples side by side, with one century behind the other? That way you'd still have each line four men deep, but the posteriores would be behind the priores.

I have 10 feet long calculations... how can you be so sure it cannot be done?

I was being entirely practical. It's possible that Roman cavalry horses were slightly smaller than modern horses, but not that much smaller, and they would not have behaved any more like donkeys. You cannot get cavalry and infantry to march abreast in column without opening very long spaces between the marching men.

Read Polybius’ account of the legion on the march and you will answer your own question.

Polybius says nothing, as far as I know, about width of columns or depth of ranks in formation. He says that the army could march in three columns in open country - was that what you mean?

But I was asking about your proposed formation, based on Sallust, not that of Polybius.

Anything is simple in ones mind’s eye.

Certainly! But are you saying this manoeuvre was simple, or was not simple?

DeVoto translation...i: “five centurions...”

I see Michael has already covered this. We've also discussed it before...