07-03-2014, 10:06 PM
The Byzantine manuals insist that caution should also be given to the number of instruments (trumpets or drums) to be used when such use was necessary to avoid confusion. It is suggested that only one voucinon should be sounded from the center of each phalanx (line of battle), where its commanding officer should also be posted. Of course this does not mean that there were not more instruments present, only that in the emperor's opinion, very few should be allowed to sound during battle.
In case of external noise that was more than usual (winds, streams etc), then 2 more voucina should be used, one in each extremity of the line.
I know of course that the manuals are some centuries off, but I still think that Byzantine tactics may be the closest thing we have to more ancient Roman practices and it is my opinion that we should be considering them when we have to make assumptions.
In support of Michael, Procopius writes that in times more ancient than his, the Roman army could sound two signals with a single type of trumpet, one to order the soldiers to advance against the enemy and one to retreat to the camp. This knowledge had been lost in his time and therefore, during some skirmishes outside Auxium, he advised Belisarius to use the cavalry trumpet to sound the attack and the infantry trumpet to sound the recall. Leo also advised that the men should be trained to distinguish the sounds of the trumpet used for the attack and those produced by the trumpet used for the recall.
(if you need references ask me, I do not have them at hand at this time)
In case of external noise that was more than usual (winds, streams etc), then 2 more voucina should be used, one in each extremity of the line.
I know of course that the manuals are some centuries off, but I still think that Byzantine tactics may be the closest thing we have to more ancient Roman practices and it is my opinion that we should be considering them when we have to make assumptions.
In support of Michael, Procopius writes that in times more ancient than his, the Roman army could sound two signals with a single type of trumpet, one to order the soldiers to advance against the enemy and one to retreat to the camp. This knowledge had been lost in his time and therefore, during some skirmishes outside Auxium, he advised Belisarius to use the cavalry trumpet to sound the attack and the infantry trumpet to sound the recall. Leo also advised that the men should be trained to distinguish the sounds of the trumpet used for the attack and those produced by the trumpet used for the recall.
(if you need references ask me, I do not have them at hand at this time)
