05-15-2008, 06:47 PM
Hi Ross
About the italic allies Dobson gives two points:
- internal organisation identical to that of legion (3 maniple + velites).
- he supposes the italics use the cohort formation much before the legion, probably he says from 2nd punic war. Without doubt the lager 3, the more like to polybian description of roman camp, where the socii are placed in the greek author text we find big barrack groups, bigger than that of possible legionary maniples. So he place the hastati, principes and triarii,velites of each socii cohort in a cohortal barrack group.
About these point my personal opinion is different:
- to assume that italics use maniples + velites before pass to cohort, is a modern obsession for symmetrical acies. From my point of view the socii always set themselves for community units (cohort).
- In the Dobson reconstruction of cohort barrack I found a absence: where are placed the cohort prefectus and quaestor? Both Livy and Polybius confirm these figures presence.
I have also a different opinion about the born of roman cohort in the legion as administrative unit, but this is too long discourse for mine poor english.
Anyway the book is fantastic, the camps descriptions, reconstructions and plants are very good and accurate. A great work.
About the italic allies Dobson gives two points:
- internal organisation identical to that of legion (3 maniple + velites).
- he supposes the italics use the cohort formation much before the legion, probably he says from 2nd punic war. Without doubt the lager 3, the more like to polybian description of roman camp, where the socii are placed in the greek author text we find big barrack groups, bigger than that of possible legionary maniples. So he place the hastati, principes and triarii,velites of each socii cohort in a cohortal barrack group.
About these point my personal opinion is different:
- to assume that italics use maniples + velites before pass to cohort, is a modern obsession for symmetrical acies. From my point of view the socii always set themselves for community units (cohort).
- In the Dobson reconstruction of cohort barrack I found a absence: where are placed the cohort prefectus and quaestor? Both Livy and Polybius confirm these figures presence.
I have also a different opinion about the born of roman cohort in the legion as administrative unit, but this is too long discourse for mine poor english.
Anyway the book is fantastic, the camps descriptions, reconstructions and plants are very good and accurate. A great work.
"Each historical fact needs to be considered, insofar as possible, no with hindsight and following abstract universal principles, but in the context of own proper age and environment" Aldo A. Settia
a.k.a Davide Dall\'Angelo
SISMA- Società Italiana per gli Studi Militari Antichi
a.k.a Davide Dall\'Angelo
SISMA- Società Italiana per gli Studi Militari Antichi
