09-29-2014, 03:35 PM
Quote:Actually, Connoly mentioned that at the draft, all poorest men were sent to navy. then each of four legions made their pick on remaining men. at the Legion assembly place, men were divided into groups, where poorest men, who couldnt afford own armor fought as leves/velites, while others were divided into Heavy Infantry based on age. So, actually, there were most likely even older men amongst Leves/Velites..
And regarding age, of course there are exceptions, but, they are just that. exception to the rule. 20 years old men will be able to move around in his armor carrying heavy shield and several javelins for much longer, than 40+ veteran. if they were so effective as you mention, then why exactly they were left out guarding the camps at Cannae?
Connoly also mentioned another important fact - if Legion got reinforced for more men, amount of Triarii was not increased. It was the same no matter what.. again, if Rome had large pool of available men, wouldnt they call more such experienced veterans into their ranks?..................
I have enjoyed Connolly's book(s) for a goodly while, but have found what I am sure are mistakes - and hence why I have tried, whilst I rely on a seemingly good translation and the help of kind translators like 'Macedon' here, to rely only on the original sources - in this case Polybius.
My translation doesn't mention the velites being the poorest, merely the youngest - only age***. This makes perfect sense, as service in the velites would likely devolve on those with little, or at first no, battle experience. It may be quite likely that the youngest may be the poorest (of the class they happen to be in), but that's only because they will probably not have inherited yet (I am sure sons served with fathers sometimes, even though the choosing process may avoid it).
I'm not entirely sure what you mean by the triarii being left out of guarding the camps (and specifically Cannae), but in detailing the camp duties Polybius is quite clear what the triarii's role is - that they guard the horses of the cavalry turma(e) camped to their rear; a much more 'suitable' role for them given their higher status (closer to braziers and their tents), than guarding the perimeter of the camp.
As to the 'triarii always number 600' and thus, I now believe, the erroneous deduction that the hastati/principes maniples increase in size with the larger legion(s) raised in extremis; I have detailed my conclusions here - Polybius/Manipular Legion - (and referred to them before). It's all to do with deployment widths and that deeper ranks than 3 with spears achieve nothing.
That is also provides a direct evolutionary path to the post-Marian legion is, of course, essential.
***My apologies - a re-read is always worthwhile rather than recollection - the first reference to the velites in Polybius does say "...and poorest", but later descriptions do not. It still seems to be an age division, however.
