01-17-2006, 01:52 PM
my guess:
I have some probs with the barbarisation and the extended use of cav. theories.
First of all, the change towards the spatha and oval scutum took place BEFORE the big contingents of barbarian troops appear in the army. and about the cavalry, it became the important arm in the army in later times...but if you look at the armies in the 4th century the infantry is still the main and most important part and the Roman opponents, except for the Sasanides don't deploy more cav than usuall. SO imho cavalry can't have been the important factor for the change.
BUT what we have is troops stationed at the border as their primary job after the big expansions stopped. and the majority of conflicts being small barbarian groups raiding the country and returning home again. no big scale operations. all you have are small detachments fighting here and there, a few hundred people maximum.
Now if you and your century are called to stop some 100 Alemannes running wild in the village behind the next hill I guess you don't form battle lines and such. you would automatically have much more individual fights, skirmishing and so on and for that I'd prefer the Spatha.
It was first the auxiliaries using it as far as I know...so exactly the troops responsible for the small scale ops...well and from there it spread...especially because everyone could serve anywhere until the reforms of Constantine...
well that's my guess
I have some probs with the barbarisation and the extended use of cav. theories.
First of all, the change towards the spatha and oval scutum took place BEFORE the big contingents of barbarian troops appear in the army. and about the cavalry, it became the important arm in the army in later times...but if you look at the armies in the 4th century the infantry is still the main and most important part and the Roman opponents, except for the Sasanides don't deploy more cav than usuall. SO imho cavalry can't have been the important factor for the change.
BUT what we have is troops stationed at the border as their primary job after the big expansions stopped. and the majority of conflicts being small barbarian groups raiding the country and returning home again. no big scale operations. all you have are small detachments fighting here and there, a few hundred people maximum.
Now if you and your century are called to stop some 100 Alemannes running wild in the village behind the next hill I guess you don't form battle lines and such. you would automatically have much more individual fights, skirmishing and so on and for that I'd prefer the Spatha.
It was first the auxiliaries using it as far as I know...so exactly the troops responsible for the small scale ops...well and from there it spread...especially because everyone could serve anywhere until the reforms of Constantine...
well that's my guess
RESTITVTOR LIBERTATIS ET ROMANAE RELIGIONIS
DEDITICIVS MINERVAE ET MVSARVM
[Micha F.]
DEDITICIVS MINERVAE ET MVSARVM
[Micha F.]
