02-18-2021, 01:14 PM
(This post was last modified: 02-18-2021, 01:35 PM by Michael Collins.)
I don`t think I posted a link to my paper here - there`s no thread of the same title but I may have tagged it to another thread... anyhow whilst reading through an interesting paper about Massinissa at
https://www.academia.edu/40707399/Le_r%C...card=title
I found something that I had over-looked previously which is to do with Scipio`s army size. Well, actually this is the estimation of legionary strength that was made by Polybius and I believe, by some earlier Roman authors.
Livy, seems to be indirectly referrencing Polybius when he mentions Massinissa`s 6,000 infantry at Zama.
These men (ten cohorts plus cavalry) according to Polybius had been attached to Massinissa to secure his new kingdom against Vermina.
This figure of 6,000 is rounded down from 6,200 men that Livy tells us formed each of Scipio`s legions in 204 BC on the invasion of Africa.
These figures all match, but I believe they are the result of an error; that of applying later understandings of legionary size (from the 180`s BC), with those of the late 2PW.
I have discussed this error in my Scipio`s army paper at https://www.academia.edu/42168784/Scipio...inal_Draft
Legionary strengths were probably fixed at 5,000, until more men were thought to be neccesary in the files when fighting against pike-armed troops?
Again Livy provides us with the stats for the raising of new legions and record of making legions up to strength of 6,000 men - you`ll find examples listed in the appendices to my paper and all references can be found there.
https://www.academia.edu/40707399/Le_r%C...card=title
I found something that I had over-looked previously which is to do with Scipio`s army size. Well, actually this is the estimation of legionary strength that was made by Polybius and I believe, by some earlier Roman authors.
Livy, seems to be indirectly referrencing Polybius when he mentions Massinissa`s 6,000 infantry at Zama.
These men (ten cohorts plus cavalry) according to Polybius had been attached to Massinissa to secure his new kingdom against Vermina.
This figure of 6,000 is rounded down from 6,200 men that Livy tells us formed each of Scipio`s legions in 204 BC on the invasion of Africa.
These figures all match, but I believe they are the result of an error; that of applying later understandings of legionary size (from the 180`s BC), with those of the late 2PW.
I have discussed this error in my Scipio`s army paper at https://www.academia.edu/42168784/Scipio...inal_Draft
Legionary strengths were probably fixed at 5,000, until more men were thought to be neccesary in the files when fighting against pike-armed troops?
Again Livy provides us with the stats for the raising of new legions and record of making legions up to strength of 6,000 men - you`ll find examples listed in the appendices to my paper and all references can be found there.
