11-23-2006, 11:11 PM
I learned a lot about logisics from a gentleman called Theodore Ayrault Dodge.
He was a Union officer in the American Civil War and a military historian of both that war and of the great generals of ancient and European history. He was considered to be the greatest American military historian of the nineteenth century.
Amongst others famous warriors, he wrote about Alexander, Caesar and Hannibal. I read the one he wrote on Caesar and it is simply brilliant.
Since the man lived at a time when armies still moved by animal and human power, he has to be recognized as an excellent source as far as logistics and the moving of large armies is concerned.
He knew perfectly well how much food a man had to carry to travel so many miles, in which season and over what terrain. I think I'll buy the one on Alexander.
Besides, he writes in a beautiful and elegant nineteenth century english. Very clear, simple and understandable. I highly recommend it.
Now to go back to the puny Persian army faced with the invasion of the innumerable Makedonian hordes... :roll:
The Persian army had all the logistical means to move and supply a huge army I think, although --this is only a personal estimate-- figures over 300 000 should not be taken at face value. But 300 000 or even 100 000 is a huge army.
Long before the Persians, the Assyrians managed to send expeditionary forces all the way to Armenia, through supposedly unpassable mountain ranges. A greater feat than Hannibal crossing the Alps. You need logistics for that.
The Persians inherited that knowledge; they carved themselves an empire that went from the Mediterranean to Afghanistan and you just don't do that without logistics.
How do you carry for hundreds of miles a siege train similar to those shown on Assyrian reliefs without logistics?
Before you think about the siege train you think about the food for the animals pulling the train and the men operating it. And so on..
The argument about the Persians having poor logistics doesn't hold much water IMHO...
And that makes the argument about the "puny" Persian army facing Alexander sort of leaky too..
He was a Union officer in the American Civil War and a military historian of both that war and of the great generals of ancient and European history. He was considered to be the greatest American military historian of the nineteenth century.
Amongst others famous warriors, he wrote about Alexander, Caesar and Hannibal. I read the one he wrote on Caesar and it is simply brilliant.
Since the man lived at a time when armies still moved by animal and human power, he has to be recognized as an excellent source as far as logistics and the moving of large armies is concerned.
He knew perfectly well how much food a man had to carry to travel so many miles, in which season and over what terrain. I think I'll buy the one on Alexander.
Besides, he writes in a beautiful and elegant nineteenth century english. Very clear, simple and understandable. I highly recommend it.
Now to go back to the puny Persian army faced with the invasion of the innumerable Makedonian hordes... :roll:
The Persian army had all the logistical means to move and supply a huge army I think, although --this is only a personal estimate-- figures over 300 000 should not be taken at face value. But 300 000 or even 100 000 is a huge army.
Long before the Persians, the Assyrians managed to send expeditionary forces all the way to Armenia, through supposedly unpassable mountain ranges. A greater feat than Hannibal crossing the Alps. You need logistics for that.
The Persians inherited that knowledge; they carved themselves an empire that went from the Mediterranean to Afghanistan and you just don't do that without logistics.
How do you carry for hundreds of miles a siege train similar to those shown on Assyrian reliefs without logistics?
Before you think about the siege train you think about the food for the animals pulling the train and the men operating it. And so on..
The argument about the Persians having poor logistics doesn't hold much water IMHO...
And that makes the argument about the "puny" Persian army facing Alexander sort of leaky too..
Pascal Sabas
