06-20-2007, 10:31 PM
Ave,
If I'm not mistaken, velites were composed of the young men who had yet to prove themselves in battle. After the Marian Reform*, the citizen-soldier were replaced by the proffessional, thus the velites as a group of soldiers dissappeared. Their tactical role did not.
Some suggest that after the Reform, the screening and scirmishing function were filled by auxilliaries, and for the most part, it probably was. However, I find it hard to believe that the post-Marian legion was an all out heavy line-infantry unit. It would mean that the legion was without the means to guard its flanks on march without auxilliaries.
My two cents, anyway.
*On the Marian Reform, Plutarch is a good indication for the theory that Marius has been accredited with more than his share. Although he reformed the recruiting of soldiers to the legions, the over-all structure and equipment was probably a gradual process. Thus velites (by that or another name) could have been in use generations after the after Marius.
If I'm not mistaken, velites were composed of the young men who had yet to prove themselves in battle. After the Marian Reform*, the citizen-soldier were replaced by the proffessional, thus the velites as a group of soldiers dissappeared. Their tactical role did not.
Some suggest that after the Reform, the screening and scirmishing function were filled by auxilliaries, and for the most part, it probably was. However, I find it hard to believe that the post-Marian legion was an all out heavy line-infantry unit. It would mean that the legion was without the means to guard its flanks on march without auxilliaries.
My two cents, anyway.
*On the Marian Reform, Plutarch is a good indication for the theory that Marius has been accredited with more than his share. Although he reformed the recruiting of soldiers to the legions, the over-all structure and equipment was probably a gradual process. Thus velites (by that or another name) could have been in use generations after the after Marius.
-Harald
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It is well that war is so terrible - otherwise we would grow too fond of it.
-- Robert E. Lee
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It is well that war is so terrible - otherwise we would grow too fond of it.
-- Robert E. Lee
