12-01-2003, 08:48 AM
Any ideas why roman infantry started fighting differently?<br>
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I imagine that the change was not a sudden "black-white" switch but more a gradual change of emphasis that occured starting when vexillations became the norm (Marcus Aurelius) until Diocletian's reign. Small scale battles and flexible fighting in odd scenarios changed tactics away from large and complex formations and conseqently the role of the individual soldier changed too.<br>
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I imagine the late roman infantry battle to not be similar to greek hoplitic battles, expected to be brief, but more similar to italic pre-manipular battles or germanic phalanxes but with the discipline and flexibility necessary to win a drawn out battle. In particular I imagine that sword exchanges were not last resort moments, like in greek hoplitic battles, but probably somewhat expected to occur sooner or later. If the enemy broke, fine. But if it didn't it was necessary to fight it out and the best way to make an enemy formation break was to carve a hole in it (good old sword play) or out maneuver it (cavalry).<br>
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I imagine that the change was not a sudden "black-white" switch but more a gradual change of emphasis that occured starting when vexillations became the norm (Marcus Aurelius) until Diocletian's reign. Small scale battles and flexible fighting in odd scenarios changed tactics away from large and complex formations and conseqently the role of the individual soldier changed too.<br>
<br>
I imagine the late roman infantry battle to not be similar to greek hoplitic battles, expected to be brief, but more similar to italic pre-manipular battles or germanic phalanxes but with the discipline and flexibility necessary to win a drawn out battle. In particular I imagine that sword exchanges were not last resort moments, like in greek hoplitic battles, but probably somewhat expected to occur sooner or later. If the enemy broke, fine. But if it didn't it was necessary to fight it out and the best way to make an enemy formation break was to carve a hole in it (good old sword play) or out maneuver it (cavalry).<br>
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<p></p><i></i>
Jeffery Wyss
"Si vos es non secui of solutio tunc vos es secui of preciptate."
"Si vos es non secui of solutio tunc vos es secui of preciptate."