07-01-2017, 06:18 PM
That's a good proposition but Maurice's Strategikon is specific that the cavalry unit can only form up 4 deep. He states that any more is pointless as the lances of the subsequent ranks cannot impact the battle or equally archers further back will have to fire overhead which is not very effective. The chevron or diamond formation above would seem to be more for rapid movement or charging across the battlefield rather than the standard deployment within the main battle-line prior to battle.
However, Mauricius then makes a curious addendum to this principal when he states that due to the lack of sufficient file-leaders of proven quality certain units form up seven or eight deep, including servants. These are the units known as the Vexillations, the Illyriciani, and the Federati. He continues on and to be honest looses me in terms of what is going on re file depths. The result is that enemy spies cannot determine the strength of the overall army due to this variance in file depth. Previously, they had merely counted the standards and reckoned on ten deep. Now, that assumption could no longer hold water.
The Anonymous writer of the earlier Justinianic tract entitle 'Strategy' is ambiguous on the relationship between the file leaders and the others. In English, there is a clear division between the file leader and the four cavalry troopers behind him. However, he also then mentions the rear guards, and the flankers, and the men next to them as all possessing equal characteristics. It remains unclear if these latter types are part of the four or separate from them.
Given that Mauricius is clear that beyond four deep there is no tactical advantage but that due to historical and recruiting reasons certain units exceeded that, I think the general principle is for cavalry turmae to be four deep not including the troop commander, standard-bearer and signaller. It would be easy for a line abreast, either head to shoulder or head to flank to move rapidly into a chevron or column formation if the main line was never that deep. Less confusion among the horses/riders in executing that move.
On a side note, and not to put a spanner in the works, Onur makes the suggestion that the Veredarii Alii were awaiting promotion into the Veredarii which would imply that they might not be cavalry but candidates awaiting an opening into this role. This would relegate the Veredarii back into a highly elite courier and field recon role. Also, in the Theodosian Code (8.5.17) a ruling from Valentinian and Valens dated to March 14, 364 explicitly refers to Veredarii as couriers which would again suggest fast messengers or scouts rather than main line cavalry skirmishers. That, again, would fit with a 50-strong number in this legion . . .
That hurt in my head is never going to go away, I suspect . . .
However, Mauricius then makes a curious addendum to this principal when he states that due to the lack of sufficient file-leaders of proven quality certain units form up seven or eight deep, including servants. These are the units known as the Vexillations, the Illyriciani, and the Federati. He continues on and to be honest looses me in terms of what is going on re file depths. The result is that enemy spies cannot determine the strength of the overall army due to this variance in file depth. Previously, they had merely counted the standards and reckoned on ten deep. Now, that assumption could no longer hold water.
The Anonymous writer of the earlier Justinianic tract entitle 'Strategy' is ambiguous on the relationship between the file leaders and the others. In English, there is a clear division between the file leader and the four cavalry troopers behind him. However, he also then mentions the rear guards, and the flankers, and the men next to them as all possessing equal characteristics. It remains unclear if these latter types are part of the four or separate from them.
Given that Mauricius is clear that beyond four deep there is no tactical advantage but that due to historical and recruiting reasons certain units exceeded that, I think the general principle is for cavalry turmae to be four deep not including the troop commander, standard-bearer and signaller. It would be easy for a line abreast, either head to shoulder or head to flank to move rapidly into a chevron or column formation if the main line was never that deep. Less confusion among the horses/riders in executing that move.
On a side note, and not to put a spanner in the works, Onur makes the suggestion that the Veredarii Alii were awaiting promotion into the Veredarii which would imply that they might not be cavalry but candidates awaiting an opening into this role. This would relegate the Veredarii back into a highly elite courier and field recon role. Also, in the Theodosian Code (8.5.17) a ruling from Valentinian and Valens dated to March 14, 364 explicitly refers to Veredarii as couriers which would again suggest fast messengers or scouts rather than main line cavalry skirmishers. That, again, would fit with a 50-strong number in this legion . . .
That hurt in my head is never going to go away, I suspect . . .
Francis Hagan
The Barcarii
The Barcarii
