Frontline rotation in combat.

[Fruitbat]

Salvete,

I am hoping for a little help from the re-enactors out there with this one...

I have read some modern books referring to Roman units 'rotating' troops from the front rank to the rear during combat, and I have seen the Rome series part one which has a very good stab at depicting this action, but I can not find any contemporary accounts of exactly how this was carried out, which I feel sure it was.

Have any re-enactor groups experimented with this technique, and if so what actual drill movements seemed to work the best? I can understand that it would have been a difficult action to carry out (particularly if you had a crazed maniac hacking at you with a huge sword at the time!).

Thanks for any help.

P.S. sorry if this has been covered already on this site.

[jvrjenivs]

I don't think there isn't a general view on how this was done. I personnaly prefer to see these action (as well as the famour Cuneus/Wedge formation) on a more legionsize scale. So not single soldiers rotating but as a centurie as a whole at once. This can be done if we apply all centuries into a 'chess-board' pattern instead of a straight front line. Now you can change which centuries are in the front and which not.

I don't know of anyone experiencing this action, as most (if not all) groups are simply way to small to test such an action.

Just my two denarii...

[Fruitbat]

Thanks Jurjenius,

Yes, I thought that the size of groups might be a problem with this action, pity really.

The bit you mention about the 'chess board' pattern is very interesting though. When you read about the length of a front line in a battle, would this mean that the line was staggered in this way, or was it used as an offensive pattern with a solid line for a defence I wonder.

Can any re-enactors out there give any clue about the actual way that one man would swap with another while fighting in the front line? I can imagine that a sword, shield, pilum etc could be a bit unwealdy when two men are trying to swap places without becoming vulnerable to an attacking enemy, who would see any opening as an opportunity (I would).

[M. Demetrius]

Right after Rome: HBO came out, there was quite considerable discussion here. Essentially, we know that they had to switch out tired men, but we really don't know exactly how that was done.
<!-- l <a class="postlink-local" href="http://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=23718&p=211781&hilit=whistle#p211781">viewtopic.php?f=17&t=23718&p=211781&hilit=whistle#p211781<!-- l Here's one of the threads. That might get you started.