"How a Roman Century Fought" Topic

I was just having a look at a few different authors – Goldsworthy, Cowan, and this delightful site:

link

Cowan has a century as 10 files wide by 8 ranks deep. Goldsworthy has it as 20 files wide by 4 ranks deep.

The latter seems to me to be more useful…whereas the deeper formation would seem to have a lot of gents hanging around in the back and being nowhere near the actual fighting?

I did like the depiction in the very first episode of Rome a few years back in which the centurion blew a whistle to have the front rank fall back and the fresh second step into it's place…but I don't know if that's based on anything historical.

As a follow up, what is the most recent thinking on where the various leaders were positioned – centurion, optio, aeneator, standard bearer?

Depth probably depended on how far the battle line had to stretch and whom you're fighting. An author of Opsrey Roman civil wars says that the maniple's shallow depth could not stand up to a barbarian mass charge Another question might be why do the authors speak about centuries fighting as if they're independent when the cohort is the main fighting unit (and here I'm referring to more Late Republican/ Early Imperial..3 centuries per cohort).

And it seems most accepted that rotation took place. In my view, the whistle that Lucius Vorenus has, if not attested to in sources, then would be a good guess. Perhaps it's a backup if the cornicern is killed.

My opinion, based on almost total ignorance….

Given that the Romans were clearly not stupid, and for a large chunk of their history had an army of long-serving professionals, I would guess that they were able to fight in a variety of formations. So maybe they are both right?

In his work on facing the marauding Alans (who had armoured "lancer" cavalry), Arrian (roman governor – 2nd C AD)has his legionaries in 8 ranks. So perhaps/likely both are correct depending on the opponent.

What Cerdic said.

Also, the whistle: the consept that, having seen shepard boys use reeds to make whistles, the notion that whistles weren't in use at the time would be barking mad.

So – if they had them – someone in the military will have used them somewhere, surely!

John T

As to where the various officers stood, here's what Ross Cowan posits in Roman Battle Tactics (109BC-AD313):

"In both centuries the 'command group' of centurion, standard-bearer, and trumpeter (centurio, signifer, cornicern)…are located in the centre of the first and second ranks." The optio and the tessarius are tasked with policing the back of the formation and making sure order is maintained (and soldiers don't run away.

Cowan rejects a standard notion that centurions are located on the right of the unit, which I'd always done with my units. But it does make more sense for orders to be hear, I guess, for him to be in the middle. There's also a junior centurion in the rear ranks who takes over if the prior centurion is killed or out of action.

A bit off the topic but a question.

A while ago (several years now- about 2010) I stumbled onto a wargamer's blog that had the greatest cartoon drawings by the author of his various games and figures- Roman legionaries, Gauls, etc. I can not remember the name of it now- does anyone have a clue what I am on about?

And then back on topic:

In building your wargaming Roman Legions (myself in 15mm DBM style) how do you base them up, figure wise? I am working on this for both DBM and Hail Caesar rules like this (top towards enemy)

L L L L L S M C
L L L L L L L L
L L L L L L L L
L L L L L L L O

C= Centurion
M= musician
S= standard bearer
L= legionary
O= Optio

each stand has four figures so 8 stands in the 'unit' for 24 figures per 'unit'

Iron Mitten is the name of the blog. I remembered!

Please read this paper:

PDF link

Roman legion was very flexible.

That's a nice paper. Thanks!

- Ix