Four weapon points?

[Gashford]

Hello all<br>
<br>
I read sometime ago that there was a writing of a battle were there where at least four ranks of soldiers.<br>
<br>
The front two ranks fought with gladius and the back to fought over them with hasta. So for everyone one man at the front there would have been four weapons.<br>
<br>
Does anyone know whether this is true and if so where I might be able to find the source ...?<br>
<br>
Thanks ever so much for any help you can offer.<br>
<br>
All the best <p>Graham Ashford<br>
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[Matthew Amt]

Ave!<br>
<br>
Sounds like Arrian's hypothetical arrangement for battle versus the Alans. It was an unusual setup to counteract the large amount of cavalry used by the Alans.<br>
<br>
Anyone got more Arrian?<br>
<br>
Vale,<br>
<br>
Matthew/Quintus <p></p><i></i>

[Gashford]

Hi there<br>
<br>
Yup, I think it was Arrian, having read the details from Sanders website. It made very interesting reading.<br>
<br>
The silence before the battle, massed infantry use of missiles and spears/javelins in hand to hand combat as opposed to simply being used as missiles.<br>
<br>
During the engagements I have started to wonder whether the Romans had the concept of the Othismos ... the big push ... do we know whether battles during the first-second century ended up with men in a shield scrum trying to drive the others back.<br>
<br>
I realise that Arrian is mostly talking about anti cavalry tactics, but the use of the javelins as spears is interesting and I am wondering whether they used these tactics against infantry as well, hence the question about othismos.<br>
<br>
I am new to roman military tactics and my current experience revolves around teh reenactment 'cadae' which doesn't seem to withstand the idea of real combat very well ... at least in my mind at the moment, but I have been wrong in the past.<br>
<br>
One last question, does anyone know where the odea of te reenactment 'cadae' comes from?<br>
<br>
All the best and thanks for any help.<br>
<br>
<p>Graham Ashford<br>
<hr><br>
[url=http://www.ludus.org.uk" target="_new]Ludus Gladiatorius[/url]<br><br>
[url=http://pub156.ezboard.com/bromancombatsports" target="_new]Roman Combat Sports Forum[/url]<br><br>
[url=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk" target="_new]Roman Army Talk Forum[/url]<br><br>
[url=http://pub27.ezboard.com/bromancivtalk" target="_new]Roman Civilian Talk Forum[/url]<br><br>
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