09-08-2018, 05:42 AM
Michael Taylor wrote:
One other problem to consider: Caesar's cohorts were severely understrength; at Pharsalus they would be an average of 275 strong, and were probably not much more than this at Illerda (say 300).
Caesar states he had 22,000 men. He does not identify them as infantry or cavalry. Appian gives Caesar 22,000 men of which 1,000 were cavalry. That makes 21,000 infantry and 1,000 cavalry. 21,000 infantry divided by 80 cohorts = 262 point 25.
My numbers for Caesar’s infantry after the removal of the fourth line, the antesignani, and the camp guards works out to be 21,000 infantry. Most mathematicians would say I tick the box.
Michael Taylor
This would give a 4/3/3 legion a frontage of 400-500 meters, accounting for gaps between the cohorts.
I have each legion with a frontage of 450 feet. This is based on the legion arrayed in its ordo organisation, which is the primi ordinum, superior ordines, inferiores ordines and infimi ordines, as stated by Caesar. It does produce a 4/3/3 type cohort formation, but the cohort has a different arrangement than the standard cohort. It’s a pity Caesar described the organisation in relation to the cohort rather than the ordo.
Both forces had five legions at Illerda, so following Caesar the Pompeian array each legion in the 5/2 cohort formation. Caesar could do the same, but then he would have no one to face the auxiliary line behind the Pompeian cohorts, and that is what he was worried about.
One other problem to consider: Caesar's cohorts were severely understrength; at Pharsalus they would be an average of 275 strong, and were probably not much more than this at Illerda (say 300).
Caesar states he had 22,000 men. He does not identify them as infantry or cavalry. Appian gives Caesar 22,000 men of which 1,000 were cavalry. That makes 21,000 infantry and 1,000 cavalry. 21,000 infantry divided by 80 cohorts = 262 point 25.
My numbers for Caesar’s infantry after the removal of the fourth line, the antesignani, and the camp guards works out to be 21,000 infantry. Most mathematicians would say I tick the box.
Michael Taylor
This would give a 4/3/3 legion a frontage of 400-500 meters, accounting for gaps between the cohorts.
I have each legion with a frontage of 450 feet. This is based on the legion arrayed in its ordo organisation, which is the primi ordinum, superior ordines, inferiores ordines and infimi ordines, as stated by Caesar. It does produce a 4/3/3 type cohort formation, but the cohort has a different arrangement than the standard cohort. It’s a pity Caesar described the organisation in relation to the cohort rather than the ordo.
Both forces had five legions at Illerda, so following Caesar the Pompeian array each legion in the 5/2 cohort formation. Caesar could do the same, but then he would have no one to face the auxiliary line behind the Pompeian cohorts, and that is what he was worried about.
