11-03-2007, 09:18 AM
....a simple calculation also shows that C. and D. are so unlikely as to be impossible! Armies of the 4th century typically numbered 13,000 -20,000 or more Hoplites. Drawn up in th 'natural'/open order i.e. 6 ft aprox per man, say, 8 deep this gives a frontage of around 1600 - 2500 men, and around 3,200-5,000 yards, or two-three miles roughly. A quick look at Paul's diagram for C. and D. shows that for each 4 men, the 'line' slants back half a yard (D.) or more (C.) That means that one flank or other will be refused by at least 400-625 yards (over a quarter of a mile!) or more ! i.e that far behind the other flank. Assume 12 deep then.... frontage 1000 -1700 men, or 2000-3400 yards in 'natural'/open order - and one flank or other refused by at least 250-425 yards !
O.K.....assume that when the sources speak of '12 deep' or '8 deep' they mean in close order ( highly unlikely, as that would then have them 24 or 16 deep in open order.....too deep to maneouvre effectively, )......the lines are still refused by hundreds of yards!
What looks plausible on a diagram a few figures long becomes impossible when extended to real life lengths ! 8) 8)
As the Americans say, Go figure !!! :? ? )
O.K.....assume that when the sources speak of '12 deep' or '8 deep' they mean in close order ( highly unlikely, as that would then have them 24 or 16 deep in open order.....too deep to maneouvre effectively, )......the lines are still refused by hundreds of yards!
What looks plausible on a diagram a few figures long becomes impossible when extended to real life lengths ! 8) 8)
As the Americans say, Go figure !!! :? ? )
"dulce et decorum est pro patria mori " - Horace
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
