05-05-2003, 06:22 AM
Has anyone run across this article or the one-time event before?<br>
www.princeton.edu/~paw/ar...tml#story3<br>
I'll just post it here for those who don't want to follow the link:<br>
<br>
Quote:</em></strong><hr>Greek warfare comes to campus<br>
<br>
Young men with shields and helmets glistening in the sun march into battle. No, it's not an ROTC drill, just your everyday ancient Greek battle taking place on Poe Field.<br>
<br>
The battle, a reconstruction of the Greek phalanx, was an experiment for Topics in Ancient History: Warfare in the Ancient World (Classics 326) -- and an experiment for any hearty soul captivated by the lore of battle.<br>
<br>
According to Assistant Professor of Classics and generalfortheday John Ta-Chiang Ma, the goal of the mock battle was to "visualize a phalanx battle, the heavy infantry formation that characterized ancient Greek warfare from circa 650 B.C. to the later 4th century B.C."<br>
<br>
Attacking a topic whose history is rather vague, Ma wanted to explore "the physical evolution of such a beast, across a field, and also perhaps to get a sense for the physics, mechanics, and bodies as well as texts and historical documents [on ancient battles]."<br>
<br>
Ma also cited a recreational reason for the event. "There is no reason history should just be about the classroom and the book. Imagination plays an important role, but imagining physicality, imagining bodies, is very difficult," he explained. "This is an effort at putting bodies together to help bridge the historical gap. Madcap enthusiasm and re-enactment also have their place in history."<br>
<br>
Ma said he was hoping to enlist at least 300 "soldiers," but the actual number of participants -- approximately 60 students -- fell well short of his expectations. Though it did not have thousands of men like an actual ancient Greek phalanx, Ma was able to demonstrate the group's charge, as well as the tactical elements of speed and movement.<br>
<br>
Some participants had less academic motives for participating in this battle. "There are some people in the class whom I really don't like, so I was hoping to go out there and really crack some skulls," Royce Reed '99 said. "For some reason, Professor Ma didn't seem to agree, though."<br>
<br>
The battle itself turned out to be quite a spectacle, as less-than-well-trained students attempted to transform themselves into battlehardened Greek hoplites. In the end, the event more closely resembled theater of the absurd than an actual Greek battle.<br>
<br>
To some students' dismay, Ma announced a nondrinking policy for his soldiers, which is contrary to the history of the phalanx. Often, when the Greeks were preparing for the battle, wine would be passed around to help the men "summon their courage," according to Ma. He said he did not approve re-enacting this particular aspect of the battle experience.<br>
<br>
The sobriety of the participants did not prevent them from displaying their inept military skills. Even the simple task of marching turned out to be a chore, which made the more difficult task of charging into the opposing phalanx a virtual impossibility. Students were able to accomplish one part of the re-enactment with some competence, however: playing dead.<br>
<br>
-- Brad Colmer '02<br>
<br>
<em>This article appeared in the March 25 issue of The Daily Princetonian</em> (1999).<hr> <p></p><i></i>
www.princeton.edu/~paw/ar...tml#story3<br>
I'll just post it here for those who don't want to follow the link:<br>
<br>
Quote:</em></strong><hr>Greek warfare comes to campus<br>
<br>
Young men with shields and helmets glistening in the sun march into battle. No, it's not an ROTC drill, just your everyday ancient Greek battle taking place on Poe Field.<br>
<br>
The battle, a reconstruction of the Greek phalanx, was an experiment for Topics in Ancient History: Warfare in the Ancient World (Classics 326) -- and an experiment for any hearty soul captivated by the lore of battle.<br>
<br>
According to Assistant Professor of Classics and generalfortheday John Ta-Chiang Ma, the goal of the mock battle was to "visualize a phalanx battle, the heavy infantry formation that characterized ancient Greek warfare from circa 650 B.C. to the later 4th century B.C."<br>
<br>
Attacking a topic whose history is rather vague, Ma wanted to explore "the physical evolution of such a beast, across a field, and also perhaps to get a sense for the physics, mechanics, and bodies as well as texts and historical documents [on ancient battles]."<br>
<br>
Ma also cited a recreational reason for the event. "There is no reason history should just be about the classroom and the book. Imagination plays an important role, but imagining physicality, imagining bodies, is very difficult," he explained. "This is an effort at putting bodies together to help bridge the historical gap. Madcap enthusiasm and re-enactment also have their place in history."<br>
<br>
Ma said he was hoping to enlist at least 300 "soldiers," but the actual number of participants -- approximately 60 students -- fell well short of his expectations. Though it did not have thousands of men like an actual ancient Greek phalanx, Ma was able to demonstrate the group's charge, as well as the tactical elements of speed and movement.<br>
<br>
Some participants had less academic motives for participating in this battle. "There are some people in the class whom I really don't like, so I was hoping to go out there and really crack some skulls," Royce Reed '99 said. "For some reason, Professor Ma didn't seem to agree, though."<br>
<br>
The battle itself turned out to be quite a spectacle, as less-than-well-trained students attempted to transform themselves into battlehardened Greek hoplites. In the end, the event more closely resembled theater of the absurd than an actual Greek battle.<br>
<br>
To some students' dismay, Ma announced a nondrinking policy for his soldiers, which is contrary to the history of the phalanx. Often, when the Greeks were preparing for the battle, wine would be passed around to help the men "summon their courage," according to Ma. He said he did not approve re-enacting this particular aspect of the battle experience.<br>
<br>
The sobriety of the participants did not prevent them from displaying their inept military skills. Even the simple task of marching turned out to be a chore, which made the more difficult task of charging into the opposing phalanx a virtual impossibility. Students were able to accomplish one part of the re-enactment with some competence, however: playing dead.<br>
<br>
-- Brad Colmer '02<br>
<br>
<em>This article appeared in the March 25 issue of The Daily Princetonian</em> (1999).<hr> <p></p><i></i>
Dan Diffendale
Ph.D. candidate, University of Michigan
Ph.D. candidate, University of Michigan
