06-22-2004, 01:03 PM
<br>
In Caesar's "Commentarii De Bello Civili" (III,94), I read that in the battle of Pharsalus (48 BC), the Caesar's fourth line infantry cohortes attacked and defeated the Pompeius' cavalry. Appianus (Bella Civilia II,76), Plutarcus (Iulius Caesar 45 and Cn. Pompeius 69-71) plus Florus (II, 13) tell about the clear Caesar's order to his infantry to use the spears like swords and hit the faces of the enemy cavalry men.<br>
<br>
Now I ask:<br>
<br>
is the Kalkriese cavalry mask (9 AD) the most ancient roman military mask ever discovered?<br>
<br>
If yes, can we assume that the roman Army started to use the masks in combat in the period from 48 BC to 9 AD, due to this new (?) tactics?<br>
<br>
It's hard to believe that those spears were pila (unconfortable for that purpose), I rather believe that they were auxiliary spears, but that was the fourth line of the Caesar's Army, so, why auxiliares were so behind?<br>
<br>
Valete<br>
<br>
<p></p><i></i>
In Caesar's "Commentarii De Bello Civili" (III,94), I read that in the battle of Pharsalus (48 BC), the Caesar's fourth line infantry cohortes attacked and defeated the Pompeius' cavalry. Appianus (Bella Civilia II,76), Plutarcus (Iulius Caesar 45 and Cn. Pompeius 69-71) plus Florus (II, 13) tell about the clear Caesar's order to his infantry to use the spears like swords and hit the faces of the enemy cavalry men.<br>
<br>
Now I ask:<br>
<br>
is the Kalkriese cavalry mask (9 AD) the most ancient roman military mask ever discovered?<br>
<br>
If yes, can we assume that the roman Army started to use the masks in combat in the period from 48 BC to 9 AD, due to this new (?) tactics?<br>
<br>
It's hard to believe that those spears were pila (unconfortable for that purpose), I rather believe that they were auxiliary spears, but that was the fourth line of the Caesar's Army, so, why auxiliares were so behind?<br>
<br>
Valete<br>
<br>
<p></p><i></i>
TITVS/Daniele Sabatini
... Tu modo nascenti puero, quo ferrea primum
desinet ac toto surget Gens Aurea mundo,
casta faue Lucina; tuus iam regnat Apollo ...
Vergilius, Bucolicae, ecloga IV, 4-10
... Tu modo nascenti puero, quo ferrea primum
desinet ac toto surget Gens Aurea mundo,
casta faue Lucina; tuus iam regnat Apollo ...
Vergilius, Bucolicae, ecloga IV, 4-10