07-02-2009, 03:16 PM
So, let us discuss Aelian first. In his 4th chapter (On files) He commences by saying that "some make a file to consist of 8, others 12 and others 16 men". I believe that here he is generally speaking about files and not about the file of the Macedonian phalanx, yet he is analyzing the Maedonian one, so he goes on to say "We will take it at 16, for this number bears a just proportion to the mean length of a phalanx, and besides, if it should become necessary to double the depth of the phalanx, so as to give 32, or to reduce and contract it to 8, this will offer no impediment to the light armed troops in the rear...".
Here, in order to understand his words, we have to establish the density of his formation. Is he talking about open order? No, this is certain, because he talks about fighting in the formation and according to him (later on I will produce the text), open order was a marching and not a fighting formation. Can he mean "synaspismos" (or yperpykne)? My opinion is again no, since again according to him, the latter is a defensive formation used when the enemy is advancing upon the phalanx and not when the phalanx is advancing upon the enemy. So, most possibly he speaks about the "pykne" dense fomation we here call "closed". Thus, according to Aelian, the common formation in close order would be 16 deep and could be doubled or halfed, according to circumstances. (Of course such a phalanx would march 32 deep in open order and 8 deep in synaspismos, which are the numbers I proposed above). Here he does not mention nor does he imply any line fighting 4 deep.
In his next chapter (V, on the order of the lochos (file)), he clearly talks about half files and double files. Here he also mentions quarter files (enomotiai). the key in this chapter is his mentioning of the quality of the file and half file leaders as well as that of the covering man (file closer). He says "It is highly necessary that the file leaders should excel the others in bravery, and next to them (in bravery), the leaders of half files and the covering men in the rear. So, he does find it very important that the file and half file leaders should excel in bravery but not the enomotarchs (quarter file leaders). This leads me to believe that he expects the half file leader to take part in combat (when his general commands it), but not the quarter file leaders. Should he expect his phalanx to do battle in quarter files (4 deep), he would most probably mention them here.
Chapter XI (On the distances between man and man in the open, the close and the compact order), he talks about density. "The close order is observed when the commander joins battle with the enemy, the compact order (synaspismos) is resorted to when he wishes firmly to sustain the enemy charge" (this translation is a little bit lyrical, I think, if I remember the original well, although I am not sure right now). Then he talks about the frontage that 1024 files will have in each of this formations, but this should not (according to my opinion) led us to believe that the 1024 files of a perfect phalanx march in open order so that they will close to 8 and then to 4. Actually Aelian is suggesting that the general should contract his line and thus lessen his frontage (see chapter XXXII).
Also important is his account on chapter XIV (On the Macedonian phalanx and the proper length of pikes), where he says that 5 or 6 pikes "project beyond the soldiers in the front". He never mentions any possiblity of just 4 pikes taking part in the fight.
In chapter XXVIII (Of doubling either by rank or file), Aelian talks only about doubling the ranks (thus making his phalanx 8 deep in his model), certainly not qudrapling it (which would make his phalanx 4 deep). He also discusses doubling the files, rendering them 32 deep in fighting formation.
In chapter XLIX he calls "leptismos" (thinning) the deployment of a phalanx less than 16. Here he just says "a smaller number", but it calls for a lot of discussion until we surmise he also means 4.
In conclusion, I do not think that Aelian implies that his phalanx was designed to fight 4 deep. He also does not support my belief that the phalanx's density was increased from open to close by inserting back files among the front files, but he does indeed mention fighting 8 deep which is only possible when making a half file leader into a file leader. Yet, I believe that this sort of open order is much more quick to deploy than having your left files marching 500 meters to the center to complete the maneuver and would have been used...
Sorry, I don't have the original texts right now and have to access some interesting, yet sometimes peculiar translations in Googlebooks
( .
Here, in order to understand his words, we have to establish the density of his formation. Is he talking about open order? No, this is certain, because he talks about fighting in the formation and according to him (later on I will produce the text), open order was a marching and not a fighting formation. Can he mean "synaspismos" (or yperpykne)? My opinion is again no, since again according to him, the latter is a defensive formation used when the enemy is advancing upon the phalanx and not when the phalanx is advancing upon the enemy. So, most possibly he speaks about the "pykne" dense fomation we here call "closed". Thus, according to Aelian, the common formation in close order would be 16 deep and could be doubled or halfed, according to circumstances. (Of course such a phalanx would march 32 deep in open order and 8 deep in synaspismos, which are the numbers I proposed above). Here he does not mention nor does he imply any line fighting 4 deep.
In his next chapter (V, on the order of the lochos (file)), he clearly talks about half files and double files. Here he also mentions quarter files (enomotiai). the key in this chapter is his mentioning of the quality of the file and half file leaders as well as that of the covering man (file closer). He says "It is highly necessary that the file leaders should excel the others in bravery, and next to them (in bravery), the leaders of half files and the covering men in the rear. So, he does find it very important that the file and half file leaders should excel in bravery but not the enomotarchs (quarter file leaders). This leads me to believe that he expects the half file leader to take part in combat (when his general commands it), but not the quarter file leaders. Should he expect his phalanx to do battle in quarter files (4 deep), he would most probably mention them here.
Chapter XI (On the distances between man and man in the open, the close and the compact order), he talks about density. "The close order is observed when the commander joins battle with the enemy, the compact order (synaspismos) is resorted to when he wishes firmly to sustain the enemy charge" (this translation is a little bit lyrical, I think, if I remember the original well, although I am not sure right now). Then he talks about the frontage that 1024 files will have in each of this formations, but this should not (according to my opinion) led us to believe that the 1024 files of a perfect phalanx march in open order so that they will close to 8 and then to 4. Actually Aelian is suggesting that the general should contract his line and thus lessen his frontage (see chapter XXXII).
Also important is his account on chapter XIV (On the Macedonian phalanx and the proper length of pikes), where he says that 5 or 6 pikes "project beyond the soldiers in the front". He never mentions any possiblity of just 4 pikes taking part in the fight.
In chapter XXVIII (Of doubling either by rank or file), Aelian talks only about doubling the ranks (thus making his phalanx 8 deep in his model), certainly not qudrapling it (which would make his phalanx 4 deep). He also discusses doubling the files, rendering them 32 deep in fighting formation.
In chapter XLIX he calls "leptismos" (thinning) the deployment of a phalanx less than 16. Here he just says "a smaller number", but it calls for a lot of discussion until we surmise he also means 4.
In conclusion, I do not think that Aelian implies that his phalanx was designed to fight 4 deep. He also does not support my belief that the phalanx's density was increased from open to close by inserting back files among the front files, but he does indeed mention fighting 8 deep which is only possible when making a half file leader into a file leader. Yet, I believe that this sort of open order is much more quick to deploy than having your left files marching 500 meters to the center to complete the maneuver and would have been used...
Sorry, I don't have the original texts right now and have to access some interesting, yet sometimes peculiar translations in Googlebooks
( .
