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Macedonian cavalry vs infantry
#7
(10-05-2016, 03:55 PM)Bryan Wrote: There is as much written evidence to say it didn't happen than it might have. But let's look at the dynamics of battle. 

Charging a line of Roman legionnaires frontally is very risky. They have disciplined ranks, large shield protecting them, pilum to throw and thrust with, swords in which they can do damage. In other battles, with little to no instruction or training, Roman infantry took down cataphract in hand to hand combat (Lucullus and Pompey). I'm not saying it couldn't be done, that heavily armored horses moving at the canter, trot, or gallop couldn't break through an infantry line, but its very risky. Seleucid era cataphracts likely did not have horned saddles, that's a later invention. They sat on blankets or skins and used their legs wrapped around the horse's barrel to keep their seat. It isn't entirely sturdy, especially for the shock of hitting stationary targets with the horse or the two handed spears they used. Very easy to be unhorsed, and the worst sort of people they'd want to get unhorsed around. More so, its unnecessary. 

To be victorious Antiochus does not need to frontally charge any Roman maniples. Why would Antiochus risk a personally led frontal charge against heavy infantry (likely he was at the front of the Royal Agema at the tip of the first wedge)? His large and elite force of cavalry wasn't actually facing off with the infantry, they were mirrored off of a measly 120 Roman horsemen holding the left flank. Antiochus can easily charge into them in wedge formation (designed to attack other cavalry, not infantry), rout them with little to no difficulty or friendly casualties, and it instantly opens up the entire left flank of the Roman line. Seeing a large force of enemy cavalry plow through the left wing would have probably terrorized the Roman infantry and caused instant chaos with the most left hand infantry maniples of all three lines. I can imagine that men would have panicked and started running before all of Antiochus' cavalry was even through the Roman line. That flight starts its own response in Antiochus' horsemen, who give chase and start butchering everyone they can, which furthers the rout as the maniples break formation and the men seek the protection of their camp.

My personal opinion is that the information we have is simply not sufficient to accurately reconstruct what happened, but in the interest of presenting a differing point of view, Bar-Kochva's reconstruction of the battle does in fact have the Seleucid agema and cataphracts facing a Roman legion.

I suppose one possible interpretation is that the Roman horsemen were quickly routed and Seleucid forces began to outflank the Roman and allied infantry, inducing a panic which spread into the Roman  legion opposite the cataphracts.  If at this moment the cataphracts charged the front of the legion, it seems more supportable that the Romans there might unable to withstand the attack.  I think this may have been the first time the Romans faced cataphracts, so there may have been an element of surprise as well.

Again, I think that the information we have is too limited and sometimes contradictory to really come to a firm conclusion on what happened.  Reconstructions rely on picking and choosing which evidence fits one's theory and also making many assumptions to fill in gaps in the evidence.

I do find it interesting that this battle is kind of a repeat of the Battle of Raphia--Antiochus leads a successful cavalry charge on the right, but pursues too far, while his center and left wing are defeated.
-Michael
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Messages In This Thread
Macedonian cavalry vs infantry - by Rizzio - 10-03-2016, 05:06 PM
RE: Macedonian cavalry vs infantry - by JaM - 10-03-2016, 06:07 PM
RE: Macedonian cavalry vs infantry - by Bryan - 10-04-2016, 01:31 AM
RE: Macedonian cavalry vs infantry - by Bryan - 10-05-2016, 03:55 PM
RE: Macedonian cavalry vs infantry - by Lysimachos - 10-05-2016, 07:46 PM
RE: Macedonian cavalry vs infantry - by JaM - 10-05-2016, 02:18 PM
RE: Macedonian cavalry vs infantry - by Bryan - 10-06-2016, 02:08 AM
RE: Macedonian cavalry vs infantry - by JaM - 10-06-2016, 02:06 PM
RE: Macedonian cavalry vs infantry - by Rizzio - 10-06-2016, 04:15 PM
RE: Macedonian cavalry vs infantry - by Bryan - 10-07-2016, 04:01 PM
RE: Macedonian cavalry vs infantry - by JaM - 10-06-2016, 05:11 PM

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