10-29-2006, 06:31 PM
Quote:1) I don´t know if from reading Wikipedia article you realize that those armies were spread on a front of more than one thousand Kms, tracing their supplies from different lines.
But that is not the same as their not constituting a field army.
Quote:2) Xerxes used the supply depots chain system, the same used by Alexander or by Edward I, and the one prefered by any general of those periods, the alternative being foraging. The system works only going through friendly territory, since depots have to be built in advance. The other shortcoming is that your route has to be prearranged.
Supply lines means to have a net of depots in your rear, all linked among them and to a head depot, that has to be always close to the marching army (5 to 7 journeys maxim). The system requires a lot more organizational skills and resources, especially transport assets, but in exhange provides 2 decissive advantages, a continuous flow of supply to the marching army in much larger quantity, making possible to sustain much larger field armies than before, especially in enemy territory, and a the option to select different invasion routes. The main problem of supply lines is that they are vulnerable to be cut, so armies tended to move more slowly.
None of this tends to support the view that Xerxes had a very small army.
I'm sorry, Inaki, your reference to sources is very good, but I don't see that any of them prove your point. Unless you have a new reference, from the period in question, or a completely new line of reasoning, I don't see how you are going to persuade anyone who isn't already of the minimalist view.[/quote]
