Re: MUSINGS ON THE SCHEME OF THINGS
Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2020 1:40 p
Battle of Beneventum (214 BC), continued ...
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Preliminaries
Hanno and Gracchus reached the city about the same time, but Gracchus got actual possession of the city due to the fact that there was a Roman garrison within it.
He encamped about a mile outside of the city, astride Hanno's path.
Hanno encamped roughly three miles from the city.
It was at this time that Gracchus received permission from the senate to promise the two legions that consisted of slaves, that were the battle won, and they brought him the head of an enemy, they would be granted their freedom.
It was not until the next day that the armies lined up in order of battle.
The two sides arrayed their respective forces in a fashion typical of the day.
Hanno, with his right wing on the Calor river, placed his cavalry.
Next to these, in his center, came his infantry.
To the left of these, "Flying in the air" so to speak due to the fact they were not protected by any topographical feature, was the other half of Hanno's cavalry.
The Roman line was longer than that of the Carthaginians.
The Roman left was similarly arrayed, except that the Roman cavalry was stationed on the left.
Traditionally, the Roman cavalry was weaker in number than the allied cavalry.
To the right of the Roman cavalry were the legions.
Traditionally, a Roman army consisted of four legions, the two Roman legions "Proper" (In the sense that they were Roman) so to speak were on the inner part of the Roman line and the two allied legions were placed to the left and right of these respectively.
However, it is not clear if there were any allied legions in this battle, it is not specified.
It is also not specified where the proper Roman legions and the legions manned by slaves were placed respectively.
To the right of the infantry was where the majority of the Roman cavalry was stationed.
TO BE CONTINUED …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of ... m_(214_BC)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Preliminaries
Hanno and Gracchus reached the city about the same time, but Gracchus got actual possession of the city due to the fact that there was a Roman garrison within it.
He encamped about a mile outside of the city, astride Hanno's path.
Hanno encamped roughly three miles from the city.
It was at this time that Gracchus received permission from the senate to promise the two legions that consisted of slaves, that were the battle won, and they brought him the head of an enemy, they would be granted their freedom.
It was not until the next day that the armies lined up in order of battle.
The two sides arrayed their respective forces in a fashion typical of the day.
Hanno, with his right wing on the Calor river, placed his cavalry.
Next to these, in his center, came his infantry.
To the left of these, "Flying in the air" so to speak due to the fact they were not protected by any topographical feature, was the other half of Hanno's cavalry.
The Roman line was longer than that of the Carthaginians.
The Roman left was similarly arrayed, except that the Roman cavalry was stationed on the left.
Traditionally, the Roman cavalry was weaker in number than the allied cavalry.
To the right of the Roman cavalry were the legions.
Traditionally, a Roman army consisted of four legions, the two Roman legions "Proper" (In the sense that they were Roman) so to speak were on the inner part of the Roman line and the two allied legions were placed to the left and right of these respectively.
However, it is not clear if there were any allied legions in this battle, it is not specified.
It is also not specified where the proper Roman legions and the legions manned by slaves were placed respectively.
To the right of the infantry was where the majority of the Roman cavalry was stationed.
TO BE CONTINUED …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of ... m_(214_BC)