09-05-2018, 10:08 PM
Nathan wrote:
It also shows how important it would be for the men in the front four ranks (at least) to be trained to work together in formation, and for each man to know his place in the ranks and files instantly: any confusion and somebody's getting bashed over the head with a shield, or stabbed in the back of the neck with a pilum!
Many thanks for the explanation of the "shield wall".
Steven also showed the difference between “closed” and “open” order and the transition from one to the other.
Although obviously the century is the base unit of 80 men so I am assuming that the operational unit in battle formation would have been the cohort (480 men). If these were lined up 12 deep that would have been 40 metres wide in close order – so that would have made the Legion in battle array of 9 cohorts of 480 men plus one cohort of double strength 960 men so that would have given a width of 360 metres plus 80 metres for the 1st Cohort of some 440 metres.
I am assuming that there was a gap between cohorts to allow for manoeuvres (but perhaps that could be confirmed by someone) so a width of 500 metres for the Legionaries of the Legion would seem to be logical.
If the above is the case for the Legion in AD60 era my next question is how would the cohorts of men transition into the “wedge formation” from “closed” formation on the battlefield.
My last question is; If a Legion were to charge in the wedge formation after the pilums had been thrown, how did they manage this, at speed, and avoid the dead and dying in their way after the effectiveness of the volley of spears or was the charge a more deliberate advance?
I am looking at this from the perspective of the Boudica battle with Paulinus…..
It also shows how important it would be for the men in the front four ranks (at least) to be trained to work together in formation, and for each man to know his place in the ranks and files instantly: any confusion and somebody's getting bashed over the head with a shield, or stabbed in the back of the neck with a pilum!
Many thanks for the explanation of the "shield wall".
Steven also showed the difference between “closed” and “open” order and the transition from one to the other.
Although obviously the century is the base unit of 80 men so I am assuming that the operational unit in battle formation would have been the cohort (480 men). If these were lined up 12 deep that would have been 40 metres wide in close order – so that would have made the Legion in battle array of 9 cohorts of 480 men plus one cohort of double strength 960 men so that would have given a width of 360 metres plus 80 metres for the 1st Cohort of some 440 metres.
I am assuming that there was a gap between cohorts to allow for manoeuvres (but perhaps that could be confirmed by someone) so a width of 500 metres for the Legionaries of the Legion would seem to be logical.
If the above is the case for the Legion in AD60 era my next question is how would the cohorts of men transition into the “wedge formation” from “closed” formation on the battlefield.
My last question is; If a Legion were to charge in the wedge formation after the pilums had been thrown, how did they manage this, at speed, and avoid the dead and dying in their way after the effectiveness of the volley of spears or was the charge a more deliberate advance?
I am looking at this from the perspective of the Boudica battle with Paulinus…..
Deryk
