06-02-2009, 01:42 AM
Quote:Paullus Scipio:24v9jm4q Wrote:'Battle order' or 'the order in which they meant fight' refers to dispositions - which unit stood next to which........
Quote: Xenophon speaks of 'battle formation' 4 deep....
So which is correct – the former or the latter?
Both !
"Battle Order" = the dispositions of the units in the phalanx, which unit stood alongside which on the battlefield e.g. at Cyrus' review, we have the "battle order" of Menon and his troops on the right,Clearchus on the left and the other Greek generals in the centre......
"Battle formation" = the formation a particular unit or phalanx stands in, thus the aforesaid mercenary units stand in close order 4 deep......( but could also be other formations e.g. 8 deep in open/normal order......
However, confusion is understandable since some authors/translators use the terms interchangeably :x roll:
"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
