26. Counter-marching, the different techniques: the Macedonian, the Lakonian and the Cretan/Choral/Persian methods1
Counter-marches are of two sorts: one by file and the other by rank. Each of these is further subdivided into three different varieties: one is called the ‘Macedonian Counter-march’, another is called the ‘Lacedaemonian Counter-march’, and the third is called the ‘Choral Counter-march’. This last form is also known as the ‘Cretan Counter-march’ or the ‘Persian Counter-march.2
The Macedonian Counter-march is that which, by moving through and occupying the ground to the front of the phalanx, brings the foremost rank to the rear. The lacedaemonian Counter-march is that which moves through and occupies the ground to the rear of the phalanx and changes the facing of the men to the rear. The Persian Counter-march, which is also called the Cretan Counter-march and the Choral Counter-march, keeps the same ground that is occupied by the phalanx with the individual soldiers alone changing their positions, so that the file-leader assumes the position of the ouragos [i.e. at the rear of the file] and the ouragos that of the file-leader, but are facing in an opposite direction to that in which they originally stood.3
Counter-marches by rank take place when the commander chooses to transfer the units on the wings to the position occupied by the central position of the phalanx, or to move the central units out onto the wings, in order to strengthen the interior of the line or, in like manner, to strengthen the right-hand positions by moving into them the units from the left.4 Prudent commanders, in the presence of the enemy, execute this movement by entire syntagmae.
κζ’ Πῶς ἐν τοῖς λόχοις γίνεται ὁ Μακεδονικὸς ἐξελιγμός, καὶ εἰς τί χρειώδης· καὶ ὁμοίως ὁ Λάκων καὶ Κρητικός
Τοὺς δὲ τρόπους τῶν ἐξελιγμῶν ὡς δεῖ γίνεσθαι, ἀποδείξομεν. Μακεδὼν λέγεται, ὅταν ὁ λοχαγὸς μεταβάλληται. οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ πάντες ἀντιπαρέλθωσιν αὐτῷ ἐπ’ ἀσπίδα σὺν τῷ [οὐραγῷ],a καὶ πρὸς [ὃν εἶχεν]b ἔμπροσθεν ἡ φάλαγξ τόπον τὸ πρότερον [ἀπελθοντες]c στῶσι συντεταγμένως εἰς τὴν τοῦ λοχαγοῦ αυτοῦ ἀποκατάστασιν. διὸ καὶ [τὴς]d φυγῆς φαντασίαν παραδείκιυσι τοῖς ὄπισθεν ἐπιφανεῖσι πολεμίοις. ὁ μὲν οὖν κατὰ στίχον ἐξελιγμὸς Μακεδὼν προσαγορευόμενος γίνεται, ὅταν ὁ λοχαγὸς μεταβάληται, οἱ δὲ ὀπίσω ἐκ δόρατος παραπορευόμενοι ἐφεξῆς ἀλλήλων [ἱστῶνται].e
ὁ δὲ Λάκων γίνεται, ὅταν ὁ οὐραγὸς μεταβάλληται, οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ πάντες καὶ ἀυτοὶ μεταβάλλόμενοι, καὶ ἀντιπαρελθόνες μετὰ τοῦ λοχαγοῦ ταχθῶσιν ἐις ὃν πρότερον ἡ φάλαγξ τόπον ὄπισθεν εἶχεν. διὸ ἐπιδιώξεως φαντασίαν ἐμποιεῖ τοῖς ἐπιφανεῖσι πολεμίοις.
[Ιστέον ὅτι διπλασιάζεται φάλαγξ ἡ προσώποις, ἢ τόπω. ὅτε γοῦν ἀπὸ τοῦ βάθους τοῦ ἡμίσεις ὁπλίται εἰς λόχους ποιήσαντους μετὰ τῶν λοιπῶν ἐπὶ μῆκος, ὥστε γυνέσθαι τοῦς λόχους ἀν χιλίοι καὶ εἴκοσι τέσσαρες, δισχίλιοι καὶ τέσσαράκοντα ὀκτώ. τοῦτο διπλασιασμὸς προσώπων ἐστίν. ὡ σάντως καὶ τόπω διπλασιάζομεν, διὰ μόνων τῶν χιλίοι καὶ εἴκοσι τέσσαρες. λόξων παραγγείλαντες τοῦ μὲν ἐπὶ δόπυ κλίνειν, τοῦ δὲ ἐπ’ ἀσπίδα, ἔως εἰς τὸ ἁρμόζον μῆκος ἐπεκτανθῆ ἡ φάλαγξ. ὡς ἀντὶ σταδίων πέντε, ἐπτεκτανθῖναι εἰς σταδίους δέκα. τῷ δὲ αυτῷ τρόπῳ διπλασιάζεται καὶ τὸ βάθος. ἢ γὰρ λόχος λόχῳ ἐντάσεται, ανὴρ παράνερα. ὥστε εἶναι τὸν λοχσγὸν τοῦ δευτερου λόχου ἐπιστάτην τοῦ λοχαγοῦ τοῦ πρότου λόχου. τὸν δὲ δεύτερον τοῦ δευτέρου λόχου δ’ καὶ καθεξῆς ὥστε γενέσθαι ἕκαστον λόξον ἀνδρῶν τριάκοντα δύο. ἢ μόνους τοῦ ἑκκαίδεκα ἄνδρας ἐπεκτεινομενους εἰς τριάκοντα δύο ἄνδρῶν τόπον.]f
Λάκων δέ αὖ, ὅταν ὁ λοχαγὸς μεταβαλόμενος ἐκ δόρατος ὅλον τὸν λόχον [παραλλάξῃ]g εἰς ἄλλον αὐτῷ ἶσον τόπον, οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ ἀκολουθοῦντες ἐφεξῆς αὐτῷ τάσσωνται, ἢ ὅταν [μὲν ὁ]h οὐραγὸς μεταβάλληται. ὁ δὲ ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ τεταγμένος ἐκ δόρατος τοῦ οὐραγοῦπαραπορευόμενος [προτάσσεται]i τοῦ οὐραγοῦ, καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ ὁμοίως ἀκολουθοῦντες ἄλλος πρὸ ἄλλου τάσσηται, ἕως ἂν ὁ λοχαγὸς πρωτοστατήσῃ.
ὁ δὲ [χόρεῖος]j γίνεται, ὅταν ὁ λοχαγὸς μεταβαλλόμενος ἐκ δόρατος προάγῇ τοῦ λόχου, οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ ἐπακολουθῶσιν, ἕως ἂν ὁ λοχαγὸς σχῇ τὸν τοῦ οὐραγοῦ τόπον, ὁ δὲ οὐραγὸς τὸν τοῦ λοχαγοῦ. καὶ οὗτοι μὲν κατὰ λόχους γίνονται. τῷ [δὲ]k αὐτῷ τρόπῳ καὶ οἱ κατὰ ζυγὰ [γίνονται],l ἐάν τε κατὰ [τάγμα]m ἐξελίσσειν τις βούληται, ὥς [τε]n ὁποῖον [δήποτ’ οὖν]o τάγμα ἢ τὸν ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ βάσει τόπον κατέχον [ἐξελίσσει],p ἢ τὸν τοῦ ἐν δεξιᾷ τάγματος [μεταλάβῃ]q τόπον, ἢ τὸν τοῦ ἐξ εὐωνύμων. [οὐθὲν]r γὰρ τῶν προειρημένων διοίσει.
27. How to execute the Macedonian, Lakonian and the Cretan Counter-march and their uses1
We shall now examine the manner of executing the various Counter-marches. The Macedonian Counter-march is performed in this way: the leader of each file faces about to the rear and all of the rest, beginning with the first ‘follower’, march past him while preserving their order and take up the ground which was previously in front of the phalanx, until the ouragos falls into place. Hence this manoeuvre has the appearance of flight to an enemy attacking from the rear. (See Plate 12.) The Macedonian Counter-march by file is also performed when the leader faces about and the others, turning to the right, follow and then halt in their proper order.2
The Lacedaemonian Counter-march is performed in this way: the ouragos faces about, as do all of the rest and, passing with the file-leader, halt on the ground that, prior to the performance of this movement, was to the rear of the phalanx. This movement has the appearance of advancing to an enemy attacking from the rear.3
I will now discuss the proper procedure for doubling of the phalanx by space.4 This creates a formation with a depth of half of the hoplites within a file while the length [of the formation] remains. As such, a formation containing 1,024 files changes to 2,048 files. This is the process of doubling. The area or space is doubled when each of the 1,024 files is commanded to turn to the spear or the shield and open the length of the phalanx, so that whereas the formation covered 5 stades (960m) previously, it now occupies 10 stades (1,920m). Another way the space can be doubled is by depth. Each file is placed within another file with the men together. As such, the file-leader of the second file is positioned behi
nd the leader of the first file, and the second man of the second file follows on, so that each file contains thirty-two men, and within the space of sixteen men, there are thirty-two men.
In another method of perfoming the lacedaemonian Counter-march, the file-leader about-faces to the right and leads the remainder of the file to fresh ground, advancing to what was before the rear of the line, to a distance equal to the depth of the file and, halting his followers, preserves the distances and order. (See Plate 13.) in yet another way of performing this same manoeuvre, the ouragos turns about, and the next man behind him, passing him on the right, halts at his proper distance to his front, and the rest, marching one before the other, are regularly halted until the file-leader arrives at his proper place.5
The Choral Counter-march is performed when the file-leader, facing about to his right, marches at the head of his file, which follows along behind, until he reaches the point that was occupied by the ouragos, who then takes the position that had been occupied by the file-leader.6 (See Plate 14.) All of these movements are conducted by file. Counter-marches by rank, when required, are performed using the same methods, so that any unit of an army may move from the position that it originally occupied and march to the left or right, for the mode of executing the lateral movement does not differ in principle from a movement from front to rear and vice versa.7
κη’ Ὅτι διπλασιασμῶν γένη δύο ἢ κατὰ ζυγὰ ἢ κατὰ στίχον
Διπλασιασμῶν δέ ἐστι γένη δύο, ἤτοι κατὰ ζυγὰ ἢ κατὰ βάθος. τούτων δὲ ἕκαστον ἢ τῷ ἀριθμῷ διπλασιάζεται ἢ [τῷ]a τόπῳ. ἀριθμῷ μὲν γὰρ διπλασιάζεται τὸ μῆκος, ἐὰν [τὶ χιλίων]b καὶ εἴκοσι τέσσαρες, [λόχων]c δισχίλιοι καὶ τέσσαράκοντα ὀκτώ ποιῆσαι βουλώμεθα [ἐντ’ αὐτῶ τῷ]d τόπῳ τοῦ μήκους παρεμβάλλοντες εἰς τὰ μεταξὺ τῶν ὁπλιτῶν διαστήματα ἐκ τῶν ἐν τῷ βάθει ἐπιστατῶν. τοῦτο δὲ γίνεται, ὅταν πυκνῶσαι τὸ μῆκος βουληθῶμεν. ἀποκαταστῆσαι δὲ ὅταν βουληθῶμεν, παραγγελοῦμεν ἐξελίσσειν τοὺς μετατεταγμένους [παραστάτας]e εἰς οὓς προεῖχον τόπους. ἔνιοι δὲ τοὺς τοιούτους διπλασιασμοὺς ἀποδοκιμάζουσι καὶ μάλιστα ἐγγὺς ὄντων [τῶν]f πολεμίων, τοὺς δὲ ψιλοὺς ἐφ’ ἑκάτερα τῶν κεράτων ἐπεκτείνοντες καὶ ὁμοίως τοὺς ἱππέας τὴν ὄψιν τοῦ διπλασιασμοῦ οὕτως γενέσθαι παραγγέλλουσι χωρὶς [διπλασιασμοῦ]g τῆς φάλαγγος οὕτω συντασσομένης.
διπλασιάζεται δὲ τὸ μῆκος τῆς φάλαγγος, ὅταν ἤτοι ὑπερκεράσαι τοὺς πολεμίους βούλωνται ἢ αὐτοὶ ὑπερκερασθῆναι προσδοκῶσι.
τὸ δὲ βάθος διπλασιάζεται τοῦ δευτέρου λόχου τῷ πρώτῳ ἐπιτασσομένου, ὥστε τὸν τοῦ δευτέρου λόχου λοχαγὸν ὀπίσω τάσσεσθαι [τοῦ]h ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ λόχῳ λοχαγοῦ, τὸν δὲ ἐν τῷ [δευτέρῳ λόχῳ]i δεύτερον τοῦ πρώτου λόχου τέταρτον ταγῆναι, τὸν δὲ τοῦ δευτέρου τρίτον τοῦ πρώτου λόχου ἕκτον ταγῆναι, καὶ οὕτως κατὰ τὸ ἑξῆς, [ὡς]j ἂν ὅλος ὁ δεύτερος λόχος κατὰ τὸν πρῶτον ταγῇ, καὶ ὁμοίως ὁ τέταρτος λόχος εἰς τὸν τρίτον καὶ πάντες οἱ ἄρτιοι λόχοι εἰς τοὺς περιττούς. καὶ [οὕτος]k μὲν ὁ διπλασιασμὸς [ἀριθμῷ]l γίνεται.
[τοῦ δὲ τόπου διπλασιασμὸς γίνεται, ἐὰν ἐξελιγμὸς γένηται,]m ἤτοι τῶν παρεντεθέντων ἐξελιξάντων εἰς τὸν ὀπίσω τόπον ἀπὸ τοῦ ἔγγιστα τῷ οὐραγῷ παρεντεθέντος καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν ὁμοίως παρατεθέντων ἐπακολουθούντων, ἢ καὶ διαμένοντος τοῦ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἀριθμοῦ τοῦ στίχου οἱ ἡμίσεις ἐξελίξαντες τὸν τοῦ βάθους τόπον διπλασιάσωσιν. ἀποκαταστῆσαι δὲ ὅταν βουληθῶμεν εἰς τὰς προούσας τάξεις, τοὺς ἐπεντεταγμένους ἀνακαλεσόμεθα εἰς τοὺς ἰδίους λόχους.
28. Doubling – either by rank or by file1
There are two kinds of doubling [diplasiazo, διπλασιάζω], performed either by rank or by file, with respect to either number or ground. The width of the phalanx is doubled by number when the frontage of the formation, consisting of 1,024 files, is changed to 2,048 files, by moving a proper number of the ‘followers’ into the intervals between the files. This is done to make the formation more dense lengthwise.2 (See Plate 15.) If it is considered appropriate to revert to the original order, those who moved in a lateral direction [i.e. the rear half-files that moved forward to take up a position beside the forward half-files] are ordered to return to their original position.3 However, there are some who disapprove of doubling in this manner, especially when an enemy is close at hand, and choose rather to place the light-armed troops and the cavalry on the wings, so as to give the appearance of the phalanx being doubled, when, in fact, the phalanx remains as it was in its usual order.4
The phalanx is doubled lengthwise [in terms of space] to attempt to out-flank an enemy, or when there is a threat of being out-flanked.5
The depth of the phalanx is doubled when the second file is merged with the first, so that the leader of the second file takes his place behind the leader of the first file, the second man of the second file becomes the fourth man in the first file, the third man of the second file becomes the sixth man of the first file, and so on, until the whole second line is inserted into the first, and, in like manner, the fourth file merges with the third, and all of the even numbered files merge into the odd numbered ones.6
Doubling is likewise executed by manoeuvre. If the alternate files counter-march to the rear and take up a position immediately behind the ouragos of the files that stand firm, this then doubles the formation’s depth. Alternatively, if half of the files of the whole formation, keeping their original number, counter-march together towards the rear and then take up a position behind that half of the phalanx that has stood firm, then the depth of the phalanx will also be doubled.7
κθ’ Τί ἐστι πλαγία φάλαγξ καὶ τί ὀρθία. Τί ἐστι λοξὴ φάλαγξ
Πλαγία δέ ἐστι φάλαγξ, ἥτις ἔχει τὸ μῆκος τοῦ βάθους πολλαπλάσιον. ὀρθία δέ, ὅταν ἐπὶ κέρας πορεύηται πολλαπλάσιον ἔχουσα τὸ βάθος τοῦ μήκους. [καθ’ ὅλου]a δὲ παράμηκες [μὲν]b λέγεται [πᾶν πράγμα],c ὃ ἂν τὸ μῆκος [ἔχει]d πλεῖον τοῦ βάθους, ὄρθιον δέ, ὃ ἂν [τοῦ μήκους τὸ βάθος].e ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ φάλαγξ. λοξὴ δὲ ἡ τὸ μὲν [ἕτερον]f κέρας, ὁπότερον ἂν προῄρηται, πλησίον τῶν πολεμίων ἔχουσα καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ τὸν ἀγῶνα ποιουμέη, τὸ δὲ ἕτερον ἐν ἀποστάσει δι’ [ὑπομονῆς]g ἔχουσα.
29. The transverse phalanx, the even phalanx and the oblique phalanx1
The transverse phalanx [phalanx plagia, φάλαγξ πλαγία] has its width much greater than its depth. The even phalanx [phalanx orthia, φάλαγξ ὀρθί
α] has the depth of each of the wings greater than its width.2 Anything of the sort that has width greater than its depth is called ‘oblong’, while anything deeper than it is wide is called ‘right-lined’ or even. The phalanx is called oblique [phalanx loxē, φάλαγξ λοξή], or uneven-fronted, when one of the wings is advanced towards the enemy and commences the attack, while the other is held back, in reserve as it were, awaiting events.3
λ’ Τί ἐστι παρεμβολή. Τί ἐστι πρόσταξις. Τί ἐστιν ἔνταξις. Τί ἐστιν ὑπόταξις
Παρεμβολὴ δέ ἐστιν, ὅταν προτεταγμένων τινῶν εἰς τὰ μεταξὺ διαστήματα ἐκ τῶν ἐπιτεταγμένων καθιστῶνται αὐτοῖς ἐπ’ εὐθείας.
[πρόταξις λέγεται διὰ τὸ τοὺς ψιλοὺς παράγειν τῆς τῶν ὁπλιτων φάλαγος. ὡς καὶ πρωτοστάτης ὁ λοχαγός.]a
[τὸ δὲ ὄπισθεν αὐτοὺς εἶναι, ἐπίταξις λέγεται, ὡς ἐπίστασις, τὸ ὄπισθεν.]b πρόσταξις δέ ἐστιν, ὅταν ἐξ ἑκατέρων τῶν μερῶν τῆς τάξεως ἢ ἐκ τοῦ ἑνὸς προστεθῇ τί μέρος [κατὰ κέρας]c πρὸς τὴν αὐτὴν τῇ φάλαγγι ἐπιφάνειαν. [ἡ τοι αύτη πρόενταξις τῆς θάλαγγος πρόσταξις καλεῖται.]d
ἔνταξις δέ ἐστιν, ἐάν τις προαιρῆται τοὺς ψιλοὺς εἰς τὰ διαστήματα τῆς φάλαγγος [τάσσειν],e ἄνδρα παρ’ ἄνδρα.
The Tactics of Aelian Page 10