05-11-2010, 12:40 AM
I may have answered my own question !
Confirmation that Caracalla's phalanx really existed and fought as a phalanx, is provided by the 3rd-century inscription of a trainee (or instructor?) phalangite, "discen[s? or t?] phalang[arii?]", of Leg II Parthica, from Apamea - [url:1swfkm3j]http://pub45.ezboard.com/fromanarmytalkfrm1.showPrevMessage?topicID=423.topic.[/url] ( RAT 1 )
This legion was apparently in winter quarters there in the early 3rd century, including in 215-216AD and 217-8AD.
Legio II Parthica was previously stationed at Alba near Rome by Caracalla's father Septimius Severus, and it is possible that legion that formed the core of Caracalla's phalanx.
This may indicate Dio was right that the first elements of the phalanx were trained as early as 212AD, using the men of II Parthica, and then
expanded with "Macedonian" recruits, the whole "phalanx" trained in Nicomedia in preparation for the and Parthian campaigns commencing in 214AD.
This force fighting with either spear or pike/sarissa may explain why Caracalla allegedly told the Parthian king that "the Romans had an infantry force which was invincible in close-quarter fighting with spears" (ten dia doraton sustaden machen - Herodian 4.10.3), using the same word that Dio uses
for the Macedonian-style pike rather than emphasising the legions' traditional throwing-spears and swords. Note that Greek writers tended to use their word 'Dory' for pike rather than the Macedonian dialect 'sarissa'.
( information courtesy of a post by Duncan Head on another forum )
Confirmation that Caracalla's phalanx really existed and fought as a phalanx, is provided by the 3rd-century inscription of a trainee (or instructor?) phalangite, "discen[s? or t?] phalang[arii?]", of Leg II Parthica, from Apamea - [url:1swfkm3j]http://pub45.ezboard.com/fromanarmytalkfrm1.showPrevMessage?topicID=423.topic.[/url] ( RAT 1 )
This legion was apparently in winter quarters there in the early 3rd century, including in 215-216AD and 217-8AD.
Legio II Parthica was previously stationed at Alba near Rome by Caracalla's father Septimius Severus, and it is possible that legion that formed the core of Caracalla's phalanx.
This may indicate Dio was right that the first elements of the phalanx were trained as early as 212AD, using the men of II Parthica, and then
expanded with "Macedonian" recruits, the whole "phalanx" trained in Nicomedia in preparation for the and Parthian campaigns commencing in 214AD.
This force fighting with either spear or pike/sarissa may explain why Caracalla allegedly told the Parthian king that "the Romans had an infantry force which was invincible in close-quarter fighting with spears" (ten dia doraton sustaden machen - Herodian 4.10.3), using the same word that Dio uses
for the Macedonian-style pike rather than emphasising the legions' traditional throwing-spears and swords. Note that Greek writers tended to use their word 'Dory' for pike rather than the Macedonian dialect 'sarissa'.
( information courtesy of a post by Duncan Head on another forum )
"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
