The Face of Roman Battle*
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ROMAN REPUBLICAN CAVALRY TACTICS in the 3Rd-2Nd
ACTA MARISIENSIS. SERIA HISTORIA Vol. 2 (2020) ISSN (Print) 2668-9545 ISSN (Online) 2668-9715 DOI: 10.2478/amsh-2020-0008 “BELLATOR EQUUS”. ROMAN REPUBLICAN CAVALRY TACTICS IN THE 3rd-2nd CENTURIES BC Fábián István Abstact One of the most interesting periods in the history of the Roman cavalry were the Punic wars. Many historians believe that during these conflicts the ill fame of the Roman cavalry was founded but, as it can be observed it was not the determination that lacked. The main issue is the presence of the political factor who decided in the main battles of this conflict. The present paper has as aim to outline a few aspects of how the Roman mid-republican cavalry met these odds and how they tried to incline the balance in their favor. Keywords: Republic; cavalry; Hannibal; battle; tactics The main role of a well performing cavalry is to disrupt an infantry formation and harm the enemy’s cavalry units. From this perspective the Roman cavalry, especially the middle Republican one, performed well by employing tactics “if not uniquely Roman, were quite distinct from the normal tactics of many other ancient Mediterranean cavalry forces. The Roman predilection to shock actions against infantry may have been shared by some contemporary cavalry forces, but their preference for stationary hand-to-hand or dismounted combat against enemy cavalry was almost unique to them”.1 The main problem is that there are no major sources concerning this period except for Polibyus and Titus Livius. The first may come as more reliable for two reasons: he used first-hand information from the witnesses of the conflicts between 220-167 and ”furthermore Polybius’ account is particularly valuable because he had serves as hypparch in Achaea and clearly had interest and aptitude in analyzing military affairs”2. -
Oratio Recta and Oratio Obliqua in Caesar's De Bello
VOICES OF THE ENEMY: ORATIO RECTA AND ORATIO OBLIQUA IN CAESAR’S DE BELLO GALLICO by RANDY FIELDS (Under the Direction of James C. Anderson, jr.) ABSTRACT According to his contemporaries and critics, Julius Caesar was an eminent orator. Despite the lack of any extant orations written by Caesar, however, one may gain insight into Caesar’s rhetorical ability in his highly literary commentaries, especially the De Bello Gallico. Throughout this work, Caesar employs oratio obliqua (and less frequently oratio recta) to animate his characters and give them “voices.” Moreover, the individuals to whom he most frequently assigns such vivid speeches are his opponents. By endowing his adversaries in his Commentarii with the power of speech (with exquisite rhetorical form, no less), Caesar develops consistent characterizations throughout the work. Consequently, the portrait of self-assured, unification-minded Gauls emerges. Serving as foils to Caesar’s own character, these Gauls sharpen the contrast between themselves and Caesar and therefore serve to elevate Caesar’s status in the minds of his reader. INDEX WORDS: Caesar, rhetoric, oratory, De Bello Gallico, historiography, propaganda, opponent, oratio obliqua, oratio recta VOICES OF THE ENEMY: ORATIO RECTA AND ORATIO OBLIQUA IN CAESAR’S DE BELLO GALLICO by RANDY FIELDS B.S., Vanderbilt University, 1992 A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF ARTS ATHENS, GEORGIA 2005 © 2005 Randy Fields All Rights Reserved VOICES OF THE ENEMY: ORATIO RECTA AND ORATIO OBLIQUA IN CAESAR’S DE BELLO GALLICO by RANDY FIELDS Major Professor: James C. -
The Military Reforms of Gaius Marius in Their Social, Economic, and Political Context by Michael C. Gambino August, 2015 Directo
The Military Reforms of Gaius Marius in their Social, Economic, and Political Context By Michael C. Gambino August, 2015 Director of Thesis: Dr. Frank Romer Major Department: History Abstract The goal of this thesis is, as the title affirms, to understand the military reforms of Gaius Marius in their broader societal context. In this thesis, after a brief introduction (Chap. I), Chap. II analyzes the Roman manipular army, its formation, policies, and armament. Chapter III examines Roman society, politics, and economics during the second century B.C.E., with emphasis on the concentration of power and wealth, the legislative programs of Ti. And C. Gracchus, and the Italian allies’ growing demand for citizenship. Chap. IV discusses Roman military expansion from the Second Punic War down to 100 B.C.E., focusing on Roman military and foreign policy blunders, missteps, and mistakes in Celtiberian Spain, along with Rome’s servile wars and the problem of the Cimbri and Teutones. Chap. V then contextualizes the life of Gaius Marius and his sense of military strategy, while Chap VI assesses Marius’s military reforms in his lifetime and their immediate aftermath in the time of Sulla. There are four appendices on the ancient literary sources (App. I), Marian consequences in the Late Republic (App. II), the significance of the legionary eagle standard as shown during the early principate (App. III), and a listing of the consular Caecilii Metelli in the second and early first centuries B.C.E. (App. IV). The Marian military reforms changed the army from a semi-professional citizen militia into a more professionalized army made up of extensively trained recruits who served for longer consecutive terms and were personally bound to their commanders. -
Failure in 1813: the Decline of French Light Infantry and Its Effect on Napoleon’S German Campaign
United States Military Academy USMA Digital Commons Cadet Senior Theses in History Department of History Spring 4-14-2018 Failure in 1813: The eclineD of French Light Infantry and its effect on Napoleon's German Campaign Gustave Doll United States Military Academy, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usmalibrary.org/history_cadet_etd Part of the European History Commons, and the Military History Commons Recommended Citation Doll, Gustave, "Failure in 1813: The eD cline of French Light Infantry and its effect on Napoleon's German Campaign" (2018). Cadet Senior Theses in History. 1. https://digitalcommons.usmalibrary.org/history_cadet_etd/1 This Bachelor's Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of History at USMA Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Cadet Senior Theses in History by an authorized administrator of USMA Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. United States Military Academy USMA Digital Commons Cadet Senior Theses in History Department of History Spring 4-14-2018 Failure in 1813: The eclineD of French Light Infantry and its effect on Napoleon's German Campaign Gustave Doll Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usmalibrary.org/history_cadet_etd UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY FAILURE IN 1813: THE DECLINE OF FRENCH LIGHT INFANTRY AND ITS EFFECT ON NAPOLEON’S GERMAN CAMPAIGN HI499: SENIOR THESIS SECTION S26 CPT VILLANUEVA BY CADET GUSTAVE A DOLL, ’18 CO F3 WEST POINT, NEW YORK 19 APRIL 2018 ___ MY DOCUMENTATION IDENTIFIES ALL SOURCES USED AND ASSISTANCE RECEIVED IN COMPLETING THIS ASSIGNMENT. ___ NO SOURCES WERE USED OR ASSISTANCE RECEIVED IN COMPLETING THIS ASSIGNMENT. -
That's the Question
Romanization or not Romanization – that’s the Question Indisier på romanisering i den første boken av Caesars De Bello Gallico Master i Historie – HI320S Vår 2011 Universitetet i Nordland Fakultet for Samfunnsvitenskap Michèle Gabathuler Takk… …til veilederen min Per-Bjarne Ravnå, som har vært uendelig tålmodig og som har ledet meg tilbake på veien igjen når jeg har gått meg vill så mange ganger. Takk for gode råd, tipps og ideer, og ikke minst for at du tok imot utfordringen med å veilede en sveitser som skriver som Yoda snakker og som er glad i å finne opp egne norske ord som ingen andre enn meg forstår. …til dere alle som måtte tåle mitt åndsfravær når vi var sammen, som måtte høre på meg legge ut om hvor artig og spennende det er å skrive om dette temaet, som måtte svare på alle slags rare spørsmål i forbindelse med oppgava mi, og som måtte oppleve entusiasmen min om dere ville eller ikke. …til dere alle som også måtte høre på sytingen min når berg- og dalbanen hadde nådd et lavpunkt igjen, der jeg syntes at det her aldri kommer til å gå bra. Takk for at dere sa “jo, det her kommer til å gå bra. Stå på.” Merci villmol allna eu! Michèle Gabathuler Bodø, 15.05.2011 1 ::ruuus::fUU'U6:n.n..tLtS C ...."SA~".~SA~ \4oI\R~ Pf!R1E5PeRIESPeReS f.G1lSKeRf.4IER6K1iR'1-4ER6~~. R\AI\Al. 1b9'PEN~1tWÆN AV SfNstNSI'N KA~I'GRGKAR'1IZ~KA~~" PRØMT"5~M'T'5ORØM1li irj ARET 50 F. -
The Samnite Legacy
THE SAMNITE LEGACY: AN EXAMINATION OF THE SAMNITIC INFLUENCES UPON THE ROMAN STATE WILLIAM DOBERSTEIN Bachelor of Arts, University of Lethbridge, 2014 A Thesis Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies of the University of Lethbridge in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF ARTS History Department University of Lethbridge Lethbridge, Canada © William Doberstein, 2014 THE SAMNITE LEGACY: AN EXAMINATION OF SAMNITE SOCIETY AND ITS LASTING INFLUENCES UPON THE ROMAN STATE WILLIAM DOBERSTEIN Date of Examination: Dr. Christopher Epplett Associate Professor Ph.D Supervisor Dr. Kevin McGeough Associate Professor Ph.D Thesis Examination Committee Member Dr. David Hay Associate Professor Ph.D Thesis Examination Committee Member Dr. Heather Ladd Assistant Professor Ph.D Chair. Thesis Examination Committee Abstract The objective of this thesis is to fully deconstruct and isolate the considerable Samnite contributions to the Roman state during the period of the Samnite Wars. Although the literary sources have espoused a Samnitic origin for many Roman institutions, very little academic focus has been directed towards these claims. Scholars have generally tended to focus on one or two of these claims only as part of a larger argument. Thus no comprehensive examination of Romano-Samnite interactions exists, with the majority of studies depicting a unilateral process of Romanization. Since the Romanization of the Samnites has been widely documented, this study will focus on the reverse process, a “Samnitization” of Roman society. This will be achieved by examining the potential Samnite origins of the Roman military oath, gladiatorial munus, and the manipular organization and its armaments. Although the available literary and archaeological evidence prevents any definitive conclusions, these institutions appear to have significant Samnite elements; this illustrates a vibrant society which was not dominated by Roman society, but actively interacted and integrated with it. -
From Caesar to Tacitus: Changes in Early Germanic Governance Circa 50 BC-50 AD
From Caesar to Tacitus: Changes in Early Germanic Governance circa 50 BC-50 AD Andrew T. Young College of Business and Economics West Virginia University Morgantown, WV 26506-6025 ph: 304 293 4526 em: [email protected] Latest Version: November 2014 JEL Codes: D72, N43, N93, P16, Keywords: governance institutions, constitutional exchange, antiquity, early Germanic peoples, the Roman Empire, political economy, Julius Caesar, Tacitus, roving versus stationary bandits, ancient economic history 0 From Caesar to Tacitus: Changes in Early Germanic Governance circa 50 BC-50 AD Abstract: Julius Caesar and Cornelius Tacitus provide characterizations of early Germanic (barbarian) society around, respectively, 50 BC and 50 AD. The earlier date corresponds to expansion of Rome to the Rhine and Danube. During the subsequent century Germanic governance institutions changed in a number of ways. In particular, (1) temporary military commanders elected from the nobility gave way to standing retinues under the leadership of professional commanders, (2) public assemblies met more frequently and regularly, (3) councils made up of nobility gained agenda control in the assemblies, and (4) these councils relinquished their control over the allocations of land. I account for these constitutional exchanges in light of Rome’s encroachment upon Germania. In particular, it brought new sources of wealth and also constraints on the expansion of Germans into new lands. Incentives favored a reallocation of resources away from pastoralism and towards both sedentary farming and raids across the frontier. JEL Codes: D72, N43, N93, P16, Keywords: governance institutions, constitutional exchange, antiquity, early Germanic peoples, the Roman Empire, political economy, Julius Caesar, Tacitus, roving versus stationary bandits, ancient economic history 1 1. -
Lecture 5 the Birth of the Hoplite I
Warfare and Society in Ancient Greece Lecture 5 The birth of the hoplite I The birth of the hoplites Aristotle, Politics IV.1397b 5 It is proper that the government should be drawn only from those who possess heavy armor. Aristotle, Politics IV.1397b 16-28 The first political regime after the monarchies was composed of warriors and originally drawn from cavalry, for strength and superiority in warfare belonged to the cavalry. Without order heavy infantry is useless. In early times there was neither sound empirical practice in these matters nor rules for it, with the result that mastery on the battlefield rested with the cavalry. When the cities increased in population and number with arms became larger, then they took a share in the governing process. For this reason the constitutions we now call polities the ancients called democracies, for the middling class were few in number due to the smallness of the population, and consequently before this there was a small middling class, and given the form of contemporary military organization the people more easily tolerated being commanded. Cultural heritage of hoplitism Diodorus 15.44.3 Those who had previously called hoplites, from the shield they carried had their name changed to peltasts from the name of their new shield, the pelta. Hoplite ethics and the shield Plutarch, Moralia 220A, Sayings of the Spartans When someone asked Demaratus why the Spartans disgrace those who throw away their shields but no those who abandon their breastplates or helmets, he said that they put the latter on for their own sakes but the shield for the sake of the whole line. -
On the Roman Frontier1
Rome and the Worlds Beyond Its Frontiers Impact of Empire Roman Empire, c. 200 B.C.–A.D. 476 Edited by Olivier Hekster (Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands) Editorial Board Lukas de Blois Angelos Chaniotis Ségolène Demougin Olivier Hekster Gerda de Kleijn Luuk de Ligt Elio Lo Cascio Michael Peachin John Rich Christian Witschel VOLUME 21 The titles published in this series are listed at brill.com/imem Rome and the Worlds Beyond Its Frontiers Edited by Daniëlle Slootjes and Michael Peachin LEIDEN | BOSTON This is an open access title distributed under the terms of the CC-BY-NC 4.0 License, which permits any non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited. The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available online at http://catalog.loc.gov LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2016036673 Typeface for the Latin, Greek, and Cyrillic scripts: “Brill”. See and download: brill.com/brill-typeface. issn 1572-0500 isbn 978-90-04-32561-6 (hardback) isbn 978-90-04-32675-0 (e-book) Copyright 2016 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands. Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill, Brill Hes & De Graaf, Brill Nijhoff, Brill Rodopi and Hotei Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use is granted by Koninklijke Brill NV provided that the appropriate fees are paid directly to The Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910, Danvers, MA 01923, USA. -
Caesar De Bello Gallico
Caesar De Bello Gallico 1 Inhoudsopgave Levensloop ................................................................................................... 6 De Bello Gallico ............................................................................................ 9 onder het consulaat van .................................................................................... 12 Lucius Calpurnius Piso ....................................................................................... 12 Beschrijving van Gallia ....................................................................................... 14 De oorlog tegen de Helvetii ....................................................................... 21 caput 2 -29 ................................................................................................. 21 Oorlog met Ariovistus en de Germanen ........................................... 119 caput 30-54 ............................................................................................. 119 2 3 4 5 Inleiding. Levensloop Vanaf het eind van de 2e eeuw voor Chr. was het in Rome politiek onrustig. Steeds kwamen mannen, die machtswellustig waren. Die tendens zette zich in de eerste eeuw voor Chr. voort. In dit rijtje hoort ook Caesar. In Rome probeerden eind jaren 60 v. Chr. twee mannen van de volkspartij de macht tot zich te trekken: Crassus, een rijke handelsman en Caesar, een begaafd politicus. Crassus Pompeius Toen Pompeius, de grote generaal, terugkwam uit het oosten, waar hij de opstandige koning Mithridates mores had geleerd -
Roman Warfare and Fortification
Roman Warfare and Fortification Oxford Handbooks Online Roman Warfare and Fortification Gwyn Davies The Oxford Handbook of Engineering and Technology in the Classical World Edited by John Peter Oleson Print Publication Date: Dec 2009 Subject: Classical Studies, Ancient Roman History, Material Culture Studies Online Publication Date: Sep 2012 DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199734856.013.0028 Abstract and Keywords This article concentrates on the role of technology in improving the operational capabilities of the Roman state. It reviews the organizational and weapon system developments that enabled Roman armies to engage their enemies with confidence in the field, alongside the evolution of fortification schemes that enabled economies of force, which were essential to imperial security. Roman weapons and equipment include the spear, sword, missiles, artillery, shields, helmets, and body armor. Although the Roman army was often on the attack and made use of complex siege technology, it was also highly skilled in the preparation of defensive fortifications. The Romans diligently applied themselves to the arts of war. Their successful mastery of battlefield techniques and their adoption, where appropriate, of equipment and technologies first introduced by their opponents allowed Roman armies to sustain the state over several hundreds of years of challenge and change. Keywords: Roman armies, Roman warfare, Roman fortification, spear, sword, missiles, artillery, shields, helmets, body armor Warfare and the Romans A message relayed to the Roman people by Romulus after his translation to the heavens, stands as an unambiguous endorsement of Roman military prowess. “Tell the Romans that it is the gods' will that my Rome shall be the capital of the world; therefore let them cultivate the arts of war and let them know and teach their children that no human force can resist Roman arms” (Livy 1.16.7). -
Ancient Warfare Battle Manual Table of Contents 1
Ancient Warfare Battle Manual Table of Contents 1. Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 1 2. The Game Interface ....................................................................................................................... 1 2.1. The Menus ...................................................................................................................... 1 2.2. The Toolbar..................................................................................................................... 6 2.3. The Status Bar ................................................................................................................ 8 3. The Units ........................................................................................................................................ 8 3.1. Definition of Unit Types :................................................................................................. 8 4. Commanding Your Forces ........................................................................................................... 10 4.1. Issuing Orders............................................................................................................... 10 4.1.1. Move ................................................................................................................... 11 4.1.2. Charge ...............................................................................................................