03-06-2003, 04:07 AM
Oh I'd like to jump in here and dispute the assertion that infantry can do anything that cavalry can.<br>
<br>
To take 2 examples<br>
<br>
- 600 Persians (200 horse and 400 foot) all archers vs 10,000 Greek infantry as writen about by Xenophon in his Anabasis - the Greek infantry were helpless vs the Persian archers because they could never catch them.<br>
<br>
When they put 50 Hoplites onto horses they were able to chase the Persians off and cause some casualties.<br>
<br>
Cannae - The Carthaginian cavalry on their left flank defeated their Roman opponents, marched around behind the Roman infantry and hit the otehr Roman cavalry flank in the rear, then encircled the Roman infantry - a demonstration of mobility in battle that no infantry ever came close to achieving.<br>
<br>
Cavalry had tactical mobility on the battlefield - it could pick and chose where to attack a slower foe, and use it's mobility to attack exposed positions that infantry would take too long to reach.<br>
<br>
There can be no serious question of infantry do the job of cavalry....the two had different roles in teh ancient world and neitehr was capable of doing the job of the other.<br>
<br>
<p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=stickers>Stickers</A> at: 3/17/03 12:38:35 am<br></i>
<br>
To take 2 examples<br>
<br>
- 600 Persians (200 horse and 400 foot) all archers vs 10,000 Greek infantry as writen about by Xenophon in his Anabasis - the Greek infantry were helpless vs the Persian archers because they could never catch them.<br>
<br>
When they put 50 Hoplites onto horses they were able to chase the Persians off and cause some casualties.<br>
<br>
Cannae - The Carthaginian cavalry on their left flank defeated their Roman opponents, marched around behind the Roman infantry and hit the otehr Roman cavalry flank in the rear, then encircled the Roman infantry - a demonstration of mobility in battle that no infantry ever came close to achieving.<br>
<br>
Cavalry had tactical mobility on the battlefield - it could pick and chose where to attack a slower foe, and use it's mobility to attack exposed positions that infantry would take too long to reach.<br>
<br>
There can be no serious question of infantry do the job of cavalry....the two had different roles in teh ancient world and neitehr was capable of doing the job of the other.<br>
<br>
<p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=stickers>Stickers</A> at: 3/17/03 12:38:35 am<br></i>
