05-22-2008, 02:35 PM
Giannis wrote:-
....sure, I would agree that this was not the only depth, and that depth/length of line would depend on the situation/size of battlefield.......but for this scenario, Xenophon is quite unequivocal, and his meaning is plain ....in 'battle'/close order, the Hoplites were 'accustomed' to form up four deep. ( and therefore the usual eight deep in 'normal'/open order). 'Form up line and take their positions' is also about as plain as you could wish....
As an officer who actually commanded REAL Hoplites, I think Xenophon is to be preferred to any modern "armchair strategists", don't you?
Quote: I thought we had agreed in the other thread that there was not such thing as "normal" depth.
....sure, I would agree that this was not the only depth, and that depth/length of line would depend on the situation/size of battlefield.......but for this scenario, Xenophon is quite unequivocal, and his meaning is plain ....in 'battle'/close order, the Hoplites were 'accustomed' to form up four deep. ( and therefore the usual eight deep in 'normal'/open order). 'Form up line and take their positions' is also about as plain as you could wish....
As an officer who actually commanded REAL Hoplites, I think Xenophon is to be preferred to any modern "armchair strategists", don't you?
"dulce et decorum est pro patria mori " - Horace
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
