Hoplite spacing and formation

[Paullus Scipio]

Giannis wrote:-

Paul,could you post a link to your othismos article?

The article is in 'Ancient Warfare' issue 3, recently out....
Paul B. wrote:-

The way in which it works over larger groups is that the spacing between each group increses. Gaps form between sub-phalanxes that make up for this space rather than the men on the left running a hundred yards sideways to keep up.

....I was hoping someone else might pick up on the rather obvious flaw here......however......it is necessary in Paul's tightest- of- tight Othismos formation for this 'bunching up' to occur. Let us say each man closes up 18"(45cm) so that his shield rim is touching his neighbours elbow ( the maximum physically possible). Let us take the Spartan army of around 8,000 Hoplites at full strength as an example( as Demaratus told Xerxes) - divided into 6 Mora, each of 2 Lochoi. The Lochoi were the 'tactical units' which equate to Paul's 'sub-phalanx'. Let us have them form up 12 deep, 6' frontage, and then 3' frontage (shields touching, as Xenophon tells us) 6 deep. Now as far as Xenophon (and I would believe him and follow him here) that's it...fighting formation! The whole formation is on a front of 1280 men and yards(1180 metres), each of the 12 Lochoi occupying a little over 105 yards (96 metres).
Now for Paul's Othismos, the 'sub-phalanxes/Lochoi' formation tightens up, by half, to a front of around 50 yards, with a 50 yard gap between each one.......why bother forming this complex 'Othismos' formation to try to create a gap/break-through if the enemy are going to obligingly open up eleven 50 yard gaps for you? This is not a recipe for phalanx fighting, it is a recipe for a massacre !! :roll: Imagine the glee of the enemy as they swarm through/surround each little clump of men so tight they can barely use their weapons.....and cut them down. :evil: :twisted: :lol:
This is but one of many impossibilities which make me feel that Paul's ingenious theory was not the way Phalanx-fighting and/or 'Othismos' generally occurred in Practise.......