Ukrainian Police do a Testuto

[Neuraleanus]

I believe I have seen reenactors do it better.
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[attachment=9061]riot-police-use-ancient-military-tacticsSmall.jpg[/attachment]

[antiochus]

Neuraleanus wrote:
I believe I have seen reenactors do it better.
.
Did the reenactors have to form the testudo with a sign post in the middle of the testudo because the situation demanded it? Were the reenactors under attack from fire bombs and other missiles? Life and death situations as opposed to play acting are entirely different matters. Look at what happened to the Thai police formation when someone threw a hand grenade at it. How would the reenactors perform with a live grenade thrown at them or hundreds of protesters firing all sorts of missiles at them.

[Gunthamund Hasding]

well here is another one a little bit from farther away

[antiochus]

A testudo formation is no defence against Molotov cocktails, no matter how perfect the testudo formation is formed. The liquid will flow and find its way onto human flesh.

[Robert Vermaat]

A testudo formation is no defence against Molotov cocktails, no matter how perfect the testudo formation is formed. The liquid will flow and find its way onto human flesh.

Which makes one wonder how effective Roman testudos were in siege situations (for which they were alledgedly developed - Trajan's Column)? Of course no bottles with gasoline were available then, but plenty of flammable stuff!

[Thomas Aagaard]

And the clear problem is how defensive this formation is.
The danish police have stopped using shields. and is way more mobile as a result.



- - - - -
The rest Got nothing to to with the roman army, but the conflict in Ukraine.

The Ukainian police just shoot the protesters instead...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DxkDiAcSF8 (don't watch if you can't stand seeing people get shot.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6IbEIBhb8o

[Gunthamund Hasding]

BTW also very nice helmets as well
with rearguard

[Flavivs Aetivs]

That's gonna hurt in the morning.

[Flavivs Aetivs]

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On Topi:

Which makes one wonder how effective Roman testudos were in siege situations (for which they were alledgedly developed - Trajan's Column)? Of course no bottles with gasoline were available then, but plenty of flammable stuff!

Greek Fire (7th Century AD I should mention, but still relevant as it was used in hand grenades)

Sextus Julius Africanus describes Automatic Fire being used for siege purposes (or was it siege machines) doesn't he?

[antiochus]

Robert wrote:
Which makes one wonder how effective Roman testudos were in siege situations (for which they were alledgedly developed - Trajan's Column)? Of course no bottles with gasoline were available then, but plenty of flammable stuff!

I seem to remember reading that the defenders could heat sand and pour it down on to the attackers.

[Sean Manning]

A testudo formation is no defence against Molotov cocktails, no matter how perfect the testudo formation is formed. The liquid will flow and find its way onto human flesh.

Which makes one wonder how effective Roman testudos were in siege situations (for which they were alledgedly developed - Trajan's Column)? Of course no bottles with gasoline were available then, but plenty of flammable stuff!

Was flammable liquid available? I thought that without rock oil it was quite hard to produce an incendiary which you could light with a touch of a flame. I don't think that vegetable oil or fat or resin instantly burst into flames like in the movies.

[Robert Vermaat]

Which makes one wonder how effective Roman testudos were in siege situations (for which they were alledgedly developed - Trajan's Column)? Of course no bottles with gasoline were available then, but plenty of flammable stuff!

Was flammable liquid available? I thought that without rock oil it was quite hard to produce an incendiary which you could light with a touch of a flame. I don't think that vegetable oil or fat or resin instantly burst into flames like in the movies.

I did not refer to flammable liquids! But hot liquids, oil or water or anything alike, could of course be thrown from the wall and badly wound anyone in a testudo.