(06-15-2019, 07:56 AM)Steven James pid= Wrote:
Livy not being a military man has not been proven. He would have been of military age during the Roman civil wars, of which much of Livy’s work has not survived. Polybius claims to have held a military ranking, but most likely in name only. In comparison, although both writers have made mistakes, I find Livy’s understanding of the Roman army in higher regard than that of Polybius.
Actually no one has ever found that Livy was in the military, otoh Polybius was a Cav commander in war and was held as pow, he was Scipio mil advisor in Spain for Numantine war, having already observed the Roman war machine in the last PW first hand.
“Steven James” Wrote:How have you arrived at that conclusion that Flaminius had oversized legions? Livy numbers the Macedonian army at 25,500 men, consisting of 23,500 infantry and 2,000 cavalry. Livy states the Roman army was almost equal in number to the Macedonian army, but in cavalry the Romans were superior owing to the accession of the Aetolians. Livy has 3,000 foreign troops attached to the Roman army consisting of 600 Aetolian infantry, 400 Aetolain cavalry, 1,200 Athamanian infantry, 300 Apollonian infantry, and 500 Gortynian infantry.
So can you show me how the Roman legions are oversized legions based on the numbers given by both Livy and Plutarch?
Well rather easy to do.
Livy is rather clear, Livy tells his reader that the strength of Roman Legions for the war was 5400 strong, plus 15800 allied, this performed poorly losing 2k to inflict 3k, so next Cn had 3k added to his Roman legions, and the Allies increased to 16500 and had the lost 2kreplaced, with this Army he then won the war. Livy tells us that one legions Hastati was 2000 strong in an early encounter so the only one completely unaware of what Livy wrote and meant is yourself.
Livy also tells us that the allies are formed under Roman methods, so both Roman and allied were structured by Roman orders, both legions strength must also conform to this Pythagoras system, but they do not, nor do the Roman ones either for that matter as the legions strength varies for both and was circumstances driven, based on wealth, to poor you go to the fleet and the state pays you to do so, afford your own equipment, great get in the legion.
