06-29-2014, 06:00 PM
For the record I am not stating that gaps of maniple sizes were always used. There is a time and place for everything, every battle is unique, as is every general. However, there is ample evidence, some of which was provided in this thread, that gaps were used between units in a battle line while in contact with enemy. Whether these were tiny gaps or larger unit sized ones is debatable though. All told, I do believe that the situation, mission, terrain, enemy, troops available, and overall strategy would dictate the tactics used in a battle. And that no two armies in Roman history were identical because standardization as we know it didn't exist.
Same goes for the centurion. He had life and death control over his men and could beat them at will with his vine staff. I somehow doubt he "had to" stay in a specific position in the rank and file of a formation. I think he had the freedom to float around and stand where he liked. If another soldier occupied the area the centurion wanted to stand in, guess who probably moved? Likewise, I think that based off available descriptions of actual centurions, their casualties ratios, the warrior mentality of the Roman, Italian, and Mediterraean cultures during the time period, and based off the few surviving historical sources that describe battles and centurions in any detail, I believe while fighting, the centurion's duty was to lead from the front. Meaning, in a battle (sieges and skirmishes were different, I am referring to an offensive attack in a large scale battle), the centurion would be leading his men forward from the front, just like every other small or medium sized unit commander from the time period.
Same goes for the centurion. He had life and death control over his men and could beat them at will with his vine staff. I somehow doubt he "had to" stay in a specific position in the rank and file of a formation. I think he had the freedom to float around and stand where he liked. If another soldier occupied the area the centurion wanted to stand in, guess who probably moved? Likewise, I think that based off available descriptions of actual centurions, their casualties ratios, the warrior mentality of the Roman, Italian, and Mediterraean cultures during the time period, and based off the few surviving historical sources that describe battles and centurions in any detail, I believe while fighting, the centurion's duty was to lead from the front. Meaning, in a battle (sieges and skirmishes were different, I am referring to an offensive attack in a large scale battle), the centurion would be leading his men forward from the front, just like every other small or medium sized unit commander from the time period.
