12-18-2009, 04:57 AM
Polybius doesn't seem to be saying that social stratum "class" is what he's talking about. It more seems that the translator's use of the word "class" could just as easily mean "category" or "kind". In a traditional infantry configuration of the day, the triarii would have made up the third line, the principes the second, and the first hastati. The velites didn't stand and fight as a "line", but moved in and out of the ranks as needed, as skirmishers generally do.
*****
That passage you reference is from The Rise of the Roman Republic Book I.26
"...The Romans had made preparations for both eventualities: that is, for a naval battle and for a sea borne invasion of the enemy's territory. For the second they had chosen the pick of their land troops and organized the invading force into four divisions. Each of these had alternative titles, the first being known as the first legion or the first squadron and the others accordingly; the fourth, however, had a third title, that of the triarii, after the term used for that part of the army."
The footnote for this excerpt reads, "The Roman army was traditionally grouped into four classes, velites, the skirmishing troops, hastati, men in the flower of youth, principes, those in the prime of manhood, and triarii, the seasoned veterans. Here the triarii may have been a nickname for those to whom amphibious warfare was new, 'the oldsters' in other words.
*****
The Roman fleets were not always divided into four squadrons, and although they won this particular exchange, it seems more coincidental that the groups were in such a categorization. Polybius didn't report that the other naval units were labeled by the infantry typology, just the fourth group, whose primary job was to tow the "supply barges", not engage in the real fighting, but were forced into the battle anyway. If the Carthaginians hadn't quickly determined the Roman formation and strategy, perhaps the ships of the fourth squadron would not have had to be directly involved at all, and it would never have gotten "down to the triarii", eh?
FTR, though, Polybius didn't name them, he's reporting on the names given to the units quite some time before his own time. Historians are like that, you know....
*****
That passage you reference is from The Rise of the Roman Republic Book I.26
"...The Romans had made preparations for both eventualities: that is, for a naval battle and for a sea borne invasion of the enemy's territory. For the second they had chosen the pick of their land troops and organized the invading force into four divisions. Each of these had alternative titles, the first being known as the first legion or the first squadron and the others accordingly; the fourth, however, had a third title, that of the triarii, after the term used for that part of the army."
The footnote for this excerpt reads, "The Roman army was traditionally grouped into four classes, velites, the skirmishing troops, hastati, men in the flower of youth, principes, those in the prime of manhood, and triarii, the seasoned veterans. Here the triarii may have been a nickname for those to whom amphibious warfare was new, 'the oldsters' in other words.
*****
The Roman fleets were not always divided into four squadrons, and although they won this particular exchange, it seems more coincidental that the groups were in such a categorization. Polybius didn't report that the other naval units were labeled by the infantry typology, just the fourth group, whose primary job was to tow the "supply barges", not engage in the real fighting, but were forced into the battle anyway. If the Carthaginians hadn't quickly determined the Roman formation and strategy, perhaps the ships of the fourth squadron would not have had to be directly involved at all, and it would never have gotten "down to the triarii", eh?
FTR, though, Polybius didn't name them, he's reporting on the names given to the units quite some time before his own time. Historians are like that, you know....
M. Demetrius Abicio
(David Wills)
Saepe veritas est dura.
(David Wills)
Saepe veritas est dura.
