"Pre-Modern Battlefields Were Absolutely Terrifying" Topic

"Of the many books and articles published explaining the tactical mechanics of ancient and medieval warfare, none have influenced my views on the topic more than a short article by Philip Sabin titled "The Face of Roman Battle." In this article Sabin attempts to draw an accurate description of the way a Roman legion and its maniples actually worked on the battlefield. He is not the only one to attempt this feat. The clearest description of the pre-Marian armies is the account found in the eighteenth book of Polybius's Histories, and historians have been squabbling over just what Polybius's rather ambiguous report means for the better part of the last two centuries. I believe that Sabin's is the best of their efforts. What makes his description so convincing is the building blocks he uses to construct it. Sabin starts his reconstruction with a few general insights about the nature of ancient combat, especially the hand-to-hand sort. His most important insight is this: close combat is absolutely terrifying. When you realize just how terrifying it is much of what we find in the ancient and medieval source starts to make a lot more sense.

Sabin's case study is the Roman legion. In his essay's first section Sabin surveys common features of battle narratives preserved in the extant histories and concludes that any description of Roman battle mechanics must be able to explain a few odd features of these accounts to be considered legitimate:…"
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Amicalement
Armand

To feel it read Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield.

"Pre-Modern Battlefields Were Absolutely Terrifying"

Because modern battlefields are cozy and comfy like a favourite armchair?!?!

<sarcasm intended>

To dead because a bullet in your head… or cut to pieces… well… (smile)

Amicalement
Armand

I still remember how shocked I was reading an account of Cannae (long, long ago) where the author noted 50,000 dead stacked up in an area equivalent to NYC's Central Park.
While that statement may be inaccurate, at the time (decades ago), it really struck me and has stayed with me over the years. I imagine there were quite a few dead horses as well.