[split] Distances between files and ranks

[Nathan Ross]

Nathan wrote;

we really don't know!
 
Can you change “we” to “I.”

I think after 107 pages of posts I can be pretty sure that nobody else knows either!

Unless somebody's hiding something...

each man would have taken up 6 feet ... yes a six foot grave.

I believe Deryk is referring to Polybius, 18. 30, 6-8: "Now in the case of the Romans also each soldier with his arms occupies a space of three feet in breadth... and each man must be at a distance of at least three feet from the man next him in the same rank and those in front of and behind him, if they are to be of proper use."

Three feet per soldier plus another three feet between him and the next man makes six feet per soldier.

However, this is the formation for the 3rd-2nd century BC. As Michael points out, Vegetius gives only three feet per man, and I think we can assume that if the troops were arrayed in frequens ordinibus they would only require three feet each, without the gaps between the files.