12-03-2013, 09:49 PM
Apologies for the anachronistic title, but I have a question regarding phalanxes and musical instruments. In more Napoleonic-style militaries, many armies used marching bands to, among other things, help the soldiers keep in step. In phalanxes, keeping in step would probably be an important thing, at least before engaging the enemy.
What records do we have of 'marching bands' being used in Greek armies? I have heard of the Spartans using their aulos instruments, but were aulos players organized into miniature bands, or was it more informal, just one guy playing? And if they did use these to keep in step, would that mean that they had modern-style marching tunes? Or was the primary method of keeping in step singing, like the Dorians with their paeans?
What records do we have of 'marching bands' being used in Greek armies? I have heard of the Spartans using their aulos instruments, but were aulos players organized into miniature bands, or was it more informal, just one guy playing? And if they did use these to keep in step, would that mean that they had modern-style marching tunes? Or was the primary method of keeping in step singing, like the Dorians with their paeans?
