03-27-2005, 04:29 PM
Dear friend,<br>
First of all I wish you every success in the effort you undertake.<br>
Some comments now.<br>
This time the economy was agrarian. The bigger fields of Asia could support larger populations and therefore larger armies. 10000 by Herodotus can be exaggeration but 50000 combatants and 50000 camp servants or slave rowers of the fleet with value only as laborers<br>
We have an estimate from Thucydides during the Peloponnesian war that the Athenian Army could field around 14000 hoplites. Not all of them took the field. We can safely assume that the Athenians fielded 10000 in Marathon at a time of accute krisis. Herodotous also mentions the tomp of the "douloi" translated as slaves but the ancient Greeks did a distinction between doulos-servant and sklavos-slave.<br>
So they were confident enough to arm them and let them serve as psiloi- light troops slingers and javelineers.<br>
The city of Athens also maintained a corps of Scythian bowmen slaves basically for police duties but the could be sent to war if necessary. 5000 light troops assuming that many hoplites would have at least one servant with them it is not unlikely with 10000 being quite within reason.<br>
Most people imagine the hoplites charge the plain of Marathon, but this is not very accurate.<br>
Hoplites advanced in open order with the light troops skirmishing in front of them and masking their movements.<br>
When the hoplites came in striking distance the light troops withdrew through their ranks and the hoplites closed their ranks and interlock shields (synaspismos!) and charged.<br>
Miltiades gave the order to attack when he saw the Persians putting their horses on their ships possibly for attempting to land at Faliro. Their cavalry advantage was negated.<br>
Xenophon in his "return of the 10000" describe the process of getting the Persian cavalry combat ready as an extremely difficult and time consuming process. There is no reason not to think that there was any different in Marathon.<br>
The Persian army was composed of a variety of subject peoples levies more concerned about their personal survival or looting and no particular desire to stand up against metal covered maniacs keen to skewer them with their spears. Not all these levies were archers. The best troops Persians and Scythians were at the center according to Herodotus.<br>
A Persian archer would have to deal with the annoynig skirmishers first. Sudenly the skirmishers would vanish behind the hoplites and then he would have to fight close combat against armored infantry, task that he would not relish.<br>
If your insparation came from playing DBA or DBM this maneuver is not well simulate in these game.<br>
It is very well simulated in WRG 6 or Warhammer ancient battles. Perer Conoly´s exellent books about Ancient Greeks have immages of the falanx advansing in open order.<br>
I hope I helped you.<br>
Best regards and keep up the good work<br>
Stefanos Skarmintzos<br>
<p></p><i></i>
First of all I wish you every success in the effort you undertake.<br>
Some comments now.<br>
This time the economy was agrarian. The bigger fields of Asia could support larger populations and therefore larger armies. 10000 by Herodotus can be exaggeration but 50000 combatants and 50000 camp servants or slave rowers of the fleet with value only as laborers<br>
We have an estimate from Thucydides during the Peloponnesian war that the Athenian Army could field around 14000 hoplites. Not all of them took the field. We can safely assume that the Athenians fielded 10000 in Marathon at a time of accute krisis. Herodotous also mentions the tomp of the "douloi" translated as slaves but the ancient Greeks did a distinction between doulos-servant and sklavos-slave.<br>
So they were confident enough to arm them and let them serve as psiloi- light troops slingers and javelineers.<br>
The city of Athens also maintained a corps of Scythian bowmen slaves basically for police duties but the could be sent to war if necessary. 5000 light troops assuming that many hoplites would have at least one servant with them it is not unlikely with 10000 being quite within reason.<br>
Most people imagine the hoplites charge the plain of Marathon, but this is not very accurate.<br>
Hoplites advanced in open order with the light troops skirmishing in front of them and masking their movements.<br>
When the hoplites came in striking distance the light troops withdrew through their ranks and the hoplites closed their ranks and interlock shields (synaspismos!) and charged.<br>
Miltiades gave the order to attack when he saw the Persians putting their horses on their ships possibly for attempting to land at Faliro. Their cavalry advantage was negated.<br>
Xenophon in his "return of the 10000" describe the process of getting the Persian cavalry combat ready as an extremely difficult and time consuming process. There is no reason not to think that there was any different in Marathon.<br>
The Persian army was composed of a variety of subject peoples levies more concerned about their personal survival or looting and no particular desire to stand up against metal covered maniacs keen to skewer them with their spears. Not all these levies were archers. The best troops Persians and Scythians were at the center according to Herodotus.<br>
A Persian archer would have to deal with the annoynig skirmishers first. Sudenly the skirmishers would vanish behind the hoplites and then he would have to fight close combat against armored infantry, task that he would not relish.<br>
If your insparation came from playing DBA or DBM this maneuver is not well simulate in these game.<br>
It is very well simulated in WRG 6 or Warhammer ancient battles. Perer Conoly´s exellent books about Ancient Greeks have immages of the falanx advansing in open order.<br>
I hope I helped you.<br>
Best regards and keep up the good work<br>
Stefanos Skarmintzos<br>
<p></p><i></i>
