04-07-2009, 08:46 PM
Paul B wrote:
...which is to ignore the fact that Xenophon specifically says the men were drawn up in "Battle Formation" 4 deep, and that it was in this formation that they carried out their mock charge, which was sufficiently real as to terrify the on-lookers into running away!! This is not a 'parade' formation, and I very much doubt if there was such a thing! That is a modern idea in an era when drill is still performed, but has no longer any battlefield function.
Where is your evidence for anything other than that Xenophon's phalanx fought 4 deep in close order?
We don't have much evidence, but what we have points to 4/6 deep in close order as being "battle formation", formed close to the enemy from "normal" formation in open order 8/12 deep. What grounds do you have for not accepting this evidence?
When we look at the bigger picture, this hypothesis solves all the anomalies of depth in our ancient literature.
Quote:To be fair, both the 4 and the 6 rank depth occur in the context of parade, not battle
...which is to ignore the fact that Xenophon specifically says the men were drawn up in "Battle Formation" 4 deep, and that it was in this formation that they carried out their mock charge, which was sufficiently real as to terrify the on-lookers into running away!! This is not a 'parade' formation, and I very much doubt if there was such a thing! That is a modern idea in an era when drill is still performed, but has no longer any battlefield function.
Quote:I have no problem with their drill being able to go to 4 or 6, I simply don't think it means they regularly did.What purpose do you think that Xenophon's 4/6 deep formation serves then? If it is merely to form a thinner than usual line, why is there no 2 deep formation?
Where is your evidence for anything other than that Xenophon's phalanx fought 4 deep in close order?
We don't have much evidence, but what we have points to 4/6 deep in close order as being "battle formation", formed close to the enemy from "normal" formation in open order 8/12 deep. What grounds do you have for not accepting this evidence?
When we look at the bigger picture, this hypothesis solves all the anomalies of depth in our ancient literature.
"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
