Been thinking about it even more about difficulties involved in frontally attacking Roman infantry.
Heavy cavalry doesnt just charge into an enemy, they need to attack through it. Stopping is very dangerous, the cavalry troops and squadrons can't reform while fighting a melee halfway through an enemy formation. Instead they charge straight through, reform after coming out the back, and then have the option to wheel around and attack again.
Now at Magnesia there is a good chance the Roman infantry were formed in Polybius' open order, with about the feet between files, six feet between ranks. That makes for a good target as far as infantry formations go for charging through. Michael Taylor's research into depth of Roman maniples, I believe five ranks seemed about average. Doesnt sound impossible, sounds very possible.
But let's say the leading ila of Antiochus' Royal Agema, formed in the wedge, charges through first the velites and then rides right through the first line of Roman Milites, crushing bodies with horses, stabbing with spears, slashing with swords. Successful they break out the back of the formation. And what do they find?
Another line of formed infantry. And what is behind them? Another line of formed infantry.
So when does Antiochus reform his ila? He'll likely need to in order to break through the second and third lines. Assuming breaking the first line doesn't cause an immediate rout, which isn't guaranteed at all, then the lead ila will get stalled before the second line where they will be subject to pila all the whole the second line maniples close ranks and present pila to repel cavalry up close.
This is of course assuming the Roman line didn't need to be softened up prior, and that the Seleucid cavalry would not start falling off their horses from the shock of hitting stationary targets without losing their saddless seats.
Heavy cavalry doesnt just charge into an enemy, they need to attack through it. Stopping is very dangerous, the cavalry troops and squadrons can't reform while fighting a melee halfway through an enemy formation. Instead they charge straight through, reform after coming out the back, and then have the option to wheel around and attack again.
Now at Magnesia there is a good chance the Roman infantry were formed in Polybius' open order, with about the feet between files, six feet between ranks. That makes for a good target as far as infantry formations go for charging through. Michael Taylor's research into depth of Roman maniples, I believe five ranks seemed about average. Doesnt sound impossible, sounds very possible.
But let's say the leading ila of Antiochus' Royal Agema, formed in the wedge, charges through first the velites and then rides right through the first line of Roman Milites, crushing bodies with horses, stabbing with spears, slashing with swords. Successful they break out the back of the formation. And what do they find?
Another line of formed infantry. And what is behind them? Another line of formed infantry.
So when does Antiochus reform his ila? He'll likely need to in order to break through the second and third lines. Assuming breaking the first line doesn't cause an immediate rout, which isn't guaranteed at all, then the lead ila will get stalled before the second line where they will be subject to pila all the whole the second line maniples close ranks and present pila to repel cavalry up close.
This is of course assuming the Roman line didn't need to be softened up prior, and that the Seleucid cavalry would not start falling off their horses from the shock of hitting stationary targets without losing their saddless seats.
