01-06-2014, 04:36 AM
George,
Polybius isn't describing how the Roman's fight against everyone, he's comparing the Roman spacing with the Macedoinian's. After describing how many men the Roman front rankers face, he gets into the second ranks and beyond . He concludes with: (Your own post post from earlier, of the translation of the passage in question):
the rear ranks can be of no help to the front rank (=protostatae) either in thus forcing the pikes away or in the use of the sword
Polybius isn't saying "no support to the front rankers" except in the context of fighting against the Macedonian pike formation. Considering that each Roman in the front rank is only facing 2 out of the 10 pikes at any one time, and that he is six feet in front of the man behind him, against a Macedonian phalanx, there obviously is no way a the men in the rank behind can support that person by parrying away pike heads or using a sword. That's obvious. However...
Polybius doesn't not mention pila in his list of ways the follow on ranks aren't able to support the front rankers. Since its not discounted, its a possibility. Second rankers and beyond could support the front rankers by throwing pila, and that would still make what Polybius wrote correct.
Lastly, Polybius is not referring to fighting Gauls or Lusitanians or other Romans, who are more likely to try or attempt to exploit the gap he describes, which would increase the effectiveness of the second ranker being able to support the front rankers. He's specifically comparing and contrasting the differences in spacing between Roman infantry and Macedonian pikemen.
You can't prove a negative. I might not be the only one reading too much into something.
What I am describing could just as mean this. Instead of the original on the left, it can be the one on the right:
[attachment=8650]polybianformation.jpg[/attachment]
Polybius isn't describing how the Roman's fight against everyone, he's comparing the Roman spacing with the Macedoinian's. After describing how many men the Roman front rankers face, he gets into the second ranks and beyond . He concludes with: (Your own post post from earlier, of the translation of the passage in question):
the rear ranks can be of no help to the front rank (=protostatae) either in thus forcing the pikes away or in the use of the sword
Polybius isn't saying "no support to the front rankers" except in the context of fighting against the Macedonian pike formation. Considering that each Roman in the front rank is only facing 2 out of the 10 pikes at any one time, and that he is six feet in front of the man behind him, against a Macedonian phalanx, there obviously is no way a the men in the rank behind can support that person by parrying away pike heads or using a sword. That's obvious. However...
Polybius doesn't not mention pila in his list of ways the follow on ranks aren't able to support the front rankers. Since its not discounted, its a possibility. Second rankers and beyond could support the front rankers by throwing pila, and that would still make what Polybius wrote correct.
Lastly, Polybius is not referring to fighting Gauls or Lusitanians or other Romans, who are more likely to try or attempt to exploit the gap he describes, which would increase the effectiveness of the second ranker being able to support the front rankers. He's specifically comparing and contrasting the differences in spacing between Roman infantry and Macedonian pikemen.
You can't prove a negative. I might not be the only one reading too much into something.
What I am describing could just as mean this. Instead of the original on the left, it can be the one on the right:
[attachment=8650]polybianformation.jpg[/attachment]