05-31-2005, 05:37 PM
Quote:There are a number of works that deal with logistics in premodern armies, I am right now reading one on the Ottoman Empire. There are 3 different types of maximum numbers for armies
1) Maximum number that can be raised
2) Maximum number that can be mobilized (Rhoads Murphey, using the very detailed accounts of the Ottoman Imperial government, puts it at around 70% of 1)
3) Maximum number that can be fielded as a single army (a fraction of 2). Xerxes army is number 3, and that is one of the reasons I am on the minimal numbers, however after taking a look at Delbruck I must say I feel rather maximalist, he puts the Persian army at around 25.000
25,000 is very low indeed. I get the feeling that 25,000 men could survive indefinately in Greece, and with Xerxes funds could buy all the food they needed and stay at the nicest hotels. Forget about having to resort to thievery and siezing harvests. Since he is the lowest we've seen, can you give us a short summary of his methods? I googled and couldn't find much regarding Hans Delbruck.
I wonder if the Holiday Inn at Pella had a swimming pool? :lol:
Rich Marinaccio
