01-13-2006, 07:28 PM
Well, in the Etruscan period, the FRONT line of a Roman army was hoplites, the upper classes. They were backed up by more lightly armed and armored men, though all (except slingers) still had shields. So it was a phalanx. The interesting part is that the Romans seem to have been giving up their phalanx around 500 BC, and going to more small-unit formations with more javelins, at the same time that the Greeks are solidifying their phalanx and pushing javelins and light troops off to the flanks! The triarii were indeed a reserve and still armed with spears, but they were not necessarily more heavily armored than the hastati or principes who formed the 2 battle lines in front of them. In other words, the triarii are not the descendants of the old hoplites in any way.
Valete,
Matthew
Valete,
Matthew
Matthew Amt (Quintus)
Legio XX, USA
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.larp.com/legioxx/">http://www.larp.com/legioxx/
Legio XX, USA
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.larp.com/legioxx/">http://www.larp.com/legioxx/