07-06-2009, 09:06 AM
Part II, Asclepiodotus
Ch. II (The subdivision of the phalanx of hoplites, their names and strength) analyzes the phalanx's subdivisions. We should not be alarmed by the word "Hoplite" in the title, since thus were called all armored infantry of the phalanx at the time, regardless the shape and size of shield. "...Accordingly, some have formed the file of eight men, others of ten, others of twelve and yet others of sixteen men, so that the phalanx will be symmetrical both for doubling the depth of its units, in circumstances to be described later, so that it may consist of thirty two men, and also for reducing it by one half, i.e. to eight men..." Asclepiodotus' account is very similar to that of Aelian's.
Further on he speaks of half files "But when, later on, the row was reorganized its parts received different names, for the half row is now called hemilochion (imilochion) or dimoiria, the former term being used for a file of 16 men, the latter for one of 12, and the leader is now called hemilochites and dimoirites and the quarter is called an enomoty and its leadr an enomotarch."
This is very interesting information, for it opens up the possibility of 12 men files, although I believe that here he speaks more generally about infantry phalanxes.
In Ch IV (Intervals), Asclepiodotus describes the three well known densities and then writes "As occasion demands, a change is made from one of these intervals to one of the others, and this, either in length only, which as we have noted before, is called forming by rank, or in depth, i.e. forming by file, or in both rank and file, which last is called "kata parastatin kai epistatin"" . So according to him, such changes could indeed be realized in all ways discussed by all of us.
Ch X (The terms used for military evolutions) . "... Doubling of men then takes place by length when we interject or insert between the original files other files of equal strength, maintaining all the while the length of the phalanx, so that a compact order (pyknosis) arises only from the doubling of the men. Doubling takes place by depth when we interject (paremvoli) between the original ranks others of equal strength, so that a compact order arises only by depth. So we can have pyknosis along the length of the phalanx by putting files between files or only along the ranks, thus doubing the depth (in number but not in length), by interjecting files into files! That is, all the men of file A become epistates and ll those in file B parastates! So, military evolutions could indeed be realized by the interjection of files, always as circumstances demanded. As to how this would be possible during battle, I guess that the men would raise their sarissae and march to the left, for their right would be closed by the sarissae of their comrades. There they would reform and lower their pikes, doubling density across the length of the phalanx. This is possible during combat, for only half the pikes are raised and this only for a very limited amount of time. Btw, I do not believe that breaks happened during battle. Most battles only lasted very few hours and allowing the enemy to reform would be really peculiar, if you had the option not to... This is why the multiple line system was devised in the first place, to allow the reforming of lines.
In Ch XII, Asclepiodotus describes how the phalanx closed in from the right, from the left or from both sides ("to the navel") , achieving compact formation and how it could resume its more open state. This evolution is certain to have been carried out only before contact.
It comes to reason, that the ancients had devised many ways to achieve their desired formations and these would be used according to necessity and circumstances. One method would be used at 100 yards from the enemy and maybe another at 1000 yards. One when the line was amidst the fight and another when unengaged. One when they would like to give the impression of outflanking the enemy and another when they would like to appear few etc.
Ch. II (The subdivision of the phalanx of hoplites, their names and strength) analyzes the phalanx's subdivisions. We should not be alarmed by the word "Hoplite" in the title, since thus were called all armored infantry of the phalanx at the time, regardless the shape and size of shield. "...Accordingly, some have formed the file of eight men, others of ten, others of twelve and yet others of sixteen men, so that the phalanx will be symmetrical both for doubling the depth of its units, in circumstances to be described later, so that it may consist of thirty two men, and also for reducing it by one half, i.e. to eight men..." Asclepiodotus' account is very similar to that of Aelian's.
Further on he speaks of half files "But when, later on, the row was reorganized its parts received different names, for the half row is now called hemilochion (imilochion) or dimoiria, the former term being used for a file of 16 men, the latter for one of 12, and the leader is now called hemilochites and dimoirites and the quarter is called an enomoty and its leadr an enomotarch."
This is very interesting information, for it opens up the possibility of 12 men files, although I believe that here he speaks more generally about infantry phalanxes.
In Ch IV (Intervals), Asclepiodotus describes the three well known densities and then writes "As occasion demands, a change is made from one of these intervals to one of the others, and this, either in length only, which as we have noted before, is called forming by rank, or in depth, i.e. forming by file, or in both rank and file, which last is called "kata parastatin kai epistatin"" . So according to him, such changes could indeed be realized in all ways discussed by all of us.
Ch X (The terms used for military evolutions) . "... Doubling of men then takes place by length when we interject or insert between the original files other files of equal strength, maintaining all the while the length of the phalanx, so that a compact order (pyknosis) arises only from the doubling of the men. Doubling takes place by depth when we interject (paremvoli) between the original ranks others of equal strength, so that a compact order arises only by depth. So we can have pyknosis along the length of the phalanx by putting files between files or only along the ranks, thus doubing the depth (in number but not in length), by interjecting files into files! That is, all the men of file A become epistates and ll those in file B parastates! So, military evolutions could indeed be realized by the interjection of files, always as circumstances demanded. As to how this would be possible during battle, I guess that the men would raise their sarissae and march to the left, for their right would be closed by the sarissae of their comrades. There they would reform and lower their pikes, doubling density across the length of the phalanx. This is possible during combat, for only half the pikes are raised and this only for a very limited amount of time. Btw, I do not believe that breaks happened during battle. Most battles only lasted very few hours and allowing the enemy to reform would be really peculiar, if you had the option not to... This is why the multiple line system was devised in the first place, to allow the reforming of lines.
In Ch XII, Asclepiodotus describes how the phalanx closed in from the right, from the left or from both sides ("to the navel") , achieving compact formation and how it could resume its more open state. This evolution is certain to have been carried out only before contact.
It comes to reason, that the ancients had devised many ways to achieve their desired formations and these would be used according to necessity and circumstances. One method would be used at 100 yards from the enemy and maybe another at 1000 yards. One when the line was amidst the fight and another when unengaged. One when they would like to give the impression of outflanking the enemy and another when they would like to appear few etc.
