11-28-2013, 02:25 PM
I am currently reading Victor Davis Hansen's book The Western Way of War: Infantry Battle in Classical Greece, the title of which should be self-explanatory. In this, Hansen writes that in phalanx battles, both lines of hoplites would charge at each other. This confuses me - he writes at length about the phalanx, but it seems to me that it would be all but impossible to maintain such a close order at a charging speed. I know that not all hoplites fought in the phalanx formation, and after the Persian wars, where missile-armed infantry became more important, the hoplites might often charge to get through the 'beaten zone' as fast as possible.
But, like I said, keeping close order at the sprint is pretty much impossible. What about older hoplites, who can't keep up with the young'uns, or what if someone trips over a rock? Would it not be entirely more prudent to go into battle marching, like Napoleonic soldiers, so a line can be kept? Can someone clear up this discrepancy for me? It may just be me, but Hansen sort of skipped over the few seconds' transition between going to engage the enemy and engaging the enemy.
But, like I said, keeping close order at the sprint is pretty much impossible. What about older hoplites, who can't keep up with the young'uns, or what if someone trips over a rock? Would it not be entirely more prudent to go into battle marching, like Napoleonic soldiers, so a line can be kept? Can someone clear up this discrepancy for me? It may just be me, but Hansen sort of skipped over the few seconds' transition between going to engage the enemy and engaging the enemy.
