The Tactics of Aelian
Page 22
2. An antistomos formation, with the leading edges of the two wings joined, will not create a wedge with a frontage of three men (see Chapter 35). Such a wedge formation could only be made by following the same method of deployment as the cavalry wedge, as Aelian suggests (see Chapter 19). However, even this does not result in a hollow wedge shaped like a lambda, but creates a solid wedge instead.
Chapter 48
a. This does not appear in Arc 1613.
b. The last section of this chapter does not appear in Arc 1613.
c. This whole chapter does not appear in K&R 1855. See Chapter 38 note a.
1. The word plaision means ‘square’ or ‘brick’. The formation is, in effect, a hollow square of armed infantry with light-armed missile troops in the centre.
2. This last section does not appear in Bingham’s 1616 edition; in Augustus’ version of 1814, he says that the formation takes its name from the word plagion [πλάγιον] meaning ‘side’ or ‘flank’, rather than the term plaision, as is used earlier in the chapter. In both Robertello’s 1552 Greek edition and Arcerius’ 1613 Greek edition, the word used for the beginning of this section (as copied here) is plagion and is most likely the source of Augustus’ translation, although the exact terminology is somewhat questionable (see following note).
3. Thus the formation is much like the phalanx plagia [φάλαγξ πλαγία] and has its width much greater than its depth, which may account for the interchangeable use of the terms plaision and plagion by Aelian. In the text, the word ‘oblong’ is replaced with the term heteromekes. In Chapter 44, Aelian describes the heteromekes cavalry formation as having ‘a depth double that of its width’. While it is possible that the plaision operated in an oblong with the ‘small side on’, like the cavalry heteromekes, it is interesting to note that in every edition of Aelian, the illustration accompanying this chapter shows the formation arranged laterally and confronting the peplegmenē with its long side.
4. This whole paragraph appears only in Rob 1552 and in no other Greek edition or English translation of the text. It is something of a problematic and disjointed passage (which may explain its absence from other editions) and it appears that it merely recounts many of the details found in earlier parts of the work (e.g. Chapter 2). Aelian begins by describing the equipment of the hoplite; that is, those men armed in the Classical Greek fashion with breastplate (presumably bronze), helmet, greaves and shield (aspis), which he describes as having a diameter of ‘seven spans’. A span [spithamē, σπιθαμή] was an ancient Greek unit of measure equal to the distance between the tip of the thumb and the tip of the little finger, when the fingers are splayed apart. It was also calculated as equalling 12 daktyloi, with one daktylos equalling the width of a finger, or about 2cm. As such, one span equalled 24cm and a shield of 7 spans would equal 168cm. However, the hoplite aspis was circular in shape and had a diameter of 90cm. Aelian, on the other hand, describes how the shields of the hoplites (which he now calls a thureos) are oblong in shape and that the spears (i.e. pikes) that are carried by them are 16 cubits (768cm) in length. As such, it can be assumed that the shield that Aelian is describing has a height of 168cm along the long axis of the oblong, much like the scutum carried by Roman legionaries (see Polybius 6.23). In this passage, Aelian seems to be confusing (and also combining) the armaments of three different types of soldier found in the Hellenistic period: the hoplite (armed in the Classical method mentioned above); the thureoi, who carried a large oblong or oval shield and were commonly swordsmen; and the phalangite (or Iphicratean peltast), who was armed with a smaller round shield and a long pike (see Chapter 2). One thing that indicates confusion over who used the various pieces of arms and armour described in this passage is that the thureos had a single central handgrip. As such, it is impossible for a soldier to carry both this type of shield and a long pike, which had to be wielded in both hands – as Aelian describes here.
5. In Chapter 2, Aelian described how the peltast wore an ‘Argilos style’ corselet, which may be the composite linothorax (see Chapter 2 note 4). The interpretation of the reference to the covering of kassides is something of a problem. In the words of one reviewer of this work, the section is ‘… appalling. Every word seems to have a double meaning, and there is a lot of stuff that is plain unintelligible.’ The translation of kassides is no exception. Some have seen this word as a reference to a covering of leather of some kind, possibly scales or even an outer layer of armour, while others interpret it as meaning the attachment of tin plates or scales to the armour, while yet others see it as a reference to metal armour (like chain-mail). It is clear from the passage that Aelian is suggesting that the peltasts have some form of additional protection as part of their defensive armament. Unfortunately, there is no clear way of distinguishing what that was by this passage alone.
Chapter 49
a. K&R 1855 = δέ.
b. K&R 1855 = ὑπερέχωμεν.
c. This does not appear in K&R 1855.
d. K&R 1855 = ὅτ’ ἂν.
e. K&R 1855 = ὑπερέχωμεν.
f. K&R 1855 = δυνατὸν.
g. Rob 1552 = λεπτισμὸς.
h. K&R 1855 = συναιρῆται.
1. See also Arr., Tact. 29.
2. This could be done via the process of ‘doubling’ the files, where the last half of the file is inserted into the intervals between the forward half-files (see Chapter 28). However, to effectively thin the line, instead of creating a more compact order as ‘doubling’ does, the intervals of the phalanx would have to maintain their original order. Unfortunately, Aelian does not elaborate on how this manoeuvre was undertaken with a large body of men.
Chapter 50
a. K&R 1855 = προάγειν αὐτὰ.
b. This does not appear in Rob 1552 or Arc 1613.
c. This does not appear in K&R 1855.
d. This does not appear in Rob 1552 or Arc 1613.
e. K&R 1855 = εἰς.
f. K&R 1855 = τὴν.
g. Rob 1552 = τυγξάνει.
1. See also Ascl., Tact. 11.8; Arr., Tact. 30.
Chapter 51
a. This does not appear in Rob 1552 or Arc 1613.
b. K&R 1855 = τὰς.
c. This does not appear in Rob 1552 or Arc 1613.
d. K&R 1855 = κελεύσαντα τὸ.
e. K&R 1855 = τοῦτ’ ἔστι.
f. This does not appear in Rob 1552.
1. See also Ascl., Tact. 12.11; Arr., Tact. 31.
Chapter 52
a. This does not appear in K&R 1855.
b. K&R 1855 = κελεύσαντα προσέχειν.
c. This does not appear in Rob 1552 or Arc 1613.
d. Rob 1552= ἀλλήλοισι.
e. Rob 1552= βάρων.
f. K&R 1855 = ἀπεικάζει.
g. K&R 1855 = ἔνθα ποτῶνται.
h. Rob 1552 = πτερύγεσι.
i. Rob 1552, Arc 1613 and K&R 1855 combine these two quotes together. However, Augustus’ 1814 edition separates them (as is done here) and so requires the insertion of the word καί to make the passage flow better.
j. Rob 1552 = οὐ δἰ ἀγῆρυς; Arc 1613 = οὐδ᾿ ἰαγῆρυς.
k. Rob 1552 =ὀπῇ τ’ ἔσαν.
l. Rob 1552, Arc 1613 and K&R 1855 combine these two quotes together. However, Augustus’ 1814 edition separates them (as is done here) and so requires the insertion of the word καί to make the passage flow better.
m. Rob 1552 = πλείοντες
1. See also Arr., Tact. 31.
2. Hom., Il. 4.426–431.
3. Hom., Il. 3.7–8.
4. Hom., Il. 2.458–461. Aelian is mistaken here. This passage actually describes the noise that the Greeks make while sallying forth. However, the fifth Homeric passage cited by Aelian clearly describes the Trojans and is similar in many respects.
5. Hom., Il. 4.433–438.
6. Hom., I
l. 3.1–3.
7. Here Aelian repeats the second Homeric passage that he had previously cited (above, n. 3), possibly as a contrast to the preceding passage. It is interesting to note that this brief discussion on the importance of silence within the ranks of a phalanx of the Archaic Age is in stark contrast to the way in which war was primarily conducted during the following Classical period (which comes before the Hellenistic period that Aelian is writing about). During the Classical period, armies of hoplites would regularly advance into battle while singing the paean or ‘marching song’ (ἐμβατήριος παιάν) and/or accompanied by the playing of instruments such as drums, flutes and trumpets (e.g. Plut., Lyc. 21–22; Mor. 210F, 238A-B; Ath., Deip. 14.627D; Polyaenus, strat. 1.10.1; Polyaenus, Excerpts 18.1; Pausanias 3.17.5; Aesch., Pers. 393; Thuc. 1.50, 4.43, 4.96, 7.44, 7.83; Xen., Hell. 2.4.17, 4.2.19; An. 1.8.17, 1.10.20, 4.3.19–31, 4.8.16, 5.2.14, 6.5.27; Aeneas Tacticus 27.3–4). Thucydides (5.70) states that the Spartans advanced into battle at Mantinea to the sound of flutes in order to keep their line in step, using the music as a form of cadence, and to prevent the formation from breaking, an outcome that he says large armies were prone to as they advanced.
Chapter 53
a. K&R 1855 = σίγα καὶ πρόσεχε.
b. Rob 1552 = παραγογελμένω; Arc 1613 = παραγγελουμένω; K&R 1855 = παραγγελλομένω.
c. K&R 1855 = δόρατα.
d. K&R 1855 = οὐραγὸς ἀπευθυνέτω.
e. This does not appear in Arc 1613.
f. This does not appear in Rob 1552 or Arc 1613.
g. This does not appear in Rob 1552 or Arc 1613.
h. This does not appear in Rob 1552 or Arc 1613.
i. Rob 1552 = αὔτη.
j. K&R 1855 = παρὰ.
k. K&R 1855 = καθηγήσεις.
1. See also Ascl., Tact. 12.11; Arr., Tact. 32.
Glossary of Key Terms
The entries in the following glossary are given with reference to the chapter (Ch.) within which they appear in Aelian’s Tactics or which contain specific information on the terms, rather than the page number. (I = Introduction.)
ἀκροβολιστάι [acrobolists]: mounted missile troops: Ch. 2
ἀμφίστομος [amphistomos]: a formation with the phalanx divided to face both flanks: Ch. 38, 47
ἀναστροφή [anastrophē]: reverse wheeling a formation: Ch. 23, 24
ἀντίστομος [antistomos]: a formation with the phalanx divided to face both the front and back: Ch. 37, 39
ἀραιός [araios]: ‘open’; a way of describing an open-order formation with each man occupying a space of 192cm: Ch. 11
ἀραρός [araros]: ‘disection’; one name for the line between two wings of a formation: Ch. 7
ἅρμα [harma]: chariot: Ch. 22
ἁρματαρχία [harmatarchia]: a group of sixteen chariots: Ch. 22
ἀσπὶς [aspis]: normally, the shield of the Classical Greek hoplite, 90cm in diameter; Aelian also uses this term for the smaller (64cm) Macedonian shield: Ch. 12; also the term used to describe the left hand side: Ch. 31
βάθος [bathos]: the depth of a formation from front to back: Ch. 7, 18
δεκάδος [dekad]: one name for a file of soldiers, usually sixteen men: Ch. 5
διλοχία [dilochia]: two combined lochoi; two files containing thirty-two men: Ch. 9, 10
διλοχίτης [dilochites]: commander of a dilochia: Ch. 9
διμοιρία [dimoiria]: a half-file, containing eight men: Ch. 5, 41
διμοιρίτης [dimorites]: leader of a dimoiria: Ch. 5
διπλασιάζω [diplasiazo]: ‘doubling’ the formation: Ch. 23, 28
διπλευρά [dipleura]: a double-column formation: Ch. 35
διχοτομίας [dichotomias]: imaginary line separating two wings of a formation: Ch. 7
διφαλαγγαρχία [diphalangarchia]: two combined phalangarchiae; 512 files, containing 8,192 men: Ch. 9, 32
δὶφαλαγγια [diphalaggia]: a double phalanx formation: Ch. 35
διφαλαγγία περίστομος [peristomos diphalangarchia]: an open wedge formation with the ouragoi on the inside: Ch. 40
δορατοφόροι [doratophoroi]: ‘spear carriers’; mounted troops armed with a lance: Ch. 2
δόρυ [doru]: normally, the spear of the Classical Greek hoplite, 255cm in length; Aelian also uses this term for the longer Hellenistic pike, which could be over 7m long: Ch. 12; the term used to describe the right hand side: Ch. 31
δρεπανηφόροι [drepanophoroi]: scythe-bearing chariots: Ch. 22
ἔκτακτοι [ektaktoi]: supernumeraries attached to a syntagma or xenagia: Ch. 9; supernumeraries attached to a hecatontarchia of light troops: Ch. 16
ἑκατονταρχία [hecatontarchia]: sixteen files of light troops, containing 128 men: Ch. 16
ἐκπερισπασμός [ecperispasmos]: changing the facing of a formation by wheeling it through 270 degrees: Ch. 24, 31, 33
ἐλεφανταρχία [elephantarchia]: a group of sixteen war elephants: Ch. 22
ἐλεφαντάρχης [elephantarch]: commander of a group of sixteen war elephants: Ch. 22
ἐλέφαντοι [elephantoi]: war elephants: Ch. 22
ἐλαφροί [elaphroi]: light cavalry who soften up an enemy with javelins before charging with a lance: Ch. 2
ἔμβολον [embolon]: a wedge-shaped formation of cavalry or infantry: Ch. 18, 19, 39, 47
ἐντάξις [entaxis]: positioning within the phalanx: Ch. 23, 30 ἐνωμοτάρχης [enomotarch]: leader of a file or part-file of men: Ch. 5
ἐνωμοτία [enomotia]: one name for a file of soldiers, usually sixteen men: Ch. 5; a name for one-fourth of a file: Ch. 5
ἐξελίσσω [exelissaw]: counter-march: Ch. 23, 26, 27, 33
ἐπαγωγή [epagogē]: the induction of a formation to the right or left: Ch. 23, 35 ἐπιξεναγία [epixenagia]: 256 files of light troops containing 2,048 men: Ch. 16 ἑπιθηραρχία [epitherarchia]: a group of four war elephants: Ch. 22
ἐπιθήραρχος [epitherarch]: commander of a group of four war elephants: Ch. 22
ἐπικάμπιος ἐμπροσθια [epicampios emprosthia]: an infantry formation with projecting wings: Ch. 45
ἐπικάμπιος ὀπισθία [epicampios opisthia]: an infantry formation with retiring wings: Ch. 46
ἐπιλαρχία [epilarchia]: two ile of cavalry, containing 128 men: Ch. 20
ἐπιστάτης [epistates]: ‘followers’; those that come after an officer in a file of men: Ch. 5, 6
ἐπισυζυγία [episyzugia]: a group of eight chariots: Ch. 22
ἐπιστροφή [epistrophē]: wheeling a formation 90 degrees to the left or right: Ch. 23, 24, 31, 33
ἐπίταγμα [epitagma]: 1,024 files of light troops, containing 8,192 men: Ch. 16; two combined teloi of cavalry, containing 4,096 men: Ch. 20
ἐπίταξις [epitaxis]: positioning behind the phalanx: Ch. 23, 30 ἑτερομηκης [heteromekes]: a cavalry formation which has a depth double that of its width: Ch. 44
ἑτερόστομος [heterostomos]: units marching in column, but with their file-leaders on alternating sides: Ch. 42
ἐφιππαρχία [ephipparchia]: two combined hipparchiae of cavalry, containing 1,024 men: Ch. 20
ζυγάρχης [zygarch]: the second man of a cavalry formation: Ch. 19, 20
ζυγαρχία [zygarchia]: a group of two chariots: Ch. 22
ζυγόν [zugon]: the ‘main rank’; one name for the rank of file-leaders: Ch. 7; also, a general term for a rank of men: Ch. 7
ζῴαρχος [zoarch]: commander of a single war elephant: Ch. 22
ἡγεμών [hegemon]: a leader or commander of a group of soldiers: Ch. 4, 5, 7, 13
θηραρ
χία [therarchia]: a group of two war elephants: Ch. 22
θήραρχος [therarch]: commander of a group of two war elephants: Ch. 22
θυρεοφόροι [thureophoroi]: mounted troops who carry a long shield; also known as ‘targeteers’: Ch. 2
ἰλαρχία [ilarchia]: a group of eight war elephants: Ch. 22
ἰλάρχης [ilarch]: commander of a troop of cavalry: Ch. 18, 19, 43, 45; commander of a group of eight war elephants: Ch. 22
ἴλη [ilē]: a troop of cavalry, containing 64 men: Ch. 18, 20, 43
ἱππακοντισταὶ [hippakontistai]: mounted javelineers: Ch. 2
ἱππαρχία [hipparchia]: two combined Tarantinarchiae of cavalry, containing 512 men: Ch. 20
ἱπποτοξόται [hippotoxotai]: mounted archers, also known as ‘Scythians’: Ch. 2
κατάφρακτοι [kataphracts]: heavy cavalry, with both horse and rider covered in armour: Ch. 2
κέρας [keras]: a group of thirty-two chariots: Ch. 22
κεραταρχία [keratarchia]: a group of thirty-two war elephants: Ch. 22
κερατάρχης [keratarch]: commander of a group of thirty-two war elephants: Ch. 22
κεφαλή [kephalē]: ‘head’; one name for the right wing of a formation: Ch. 7
κλίσις [klisis]: the turning of an individual through 90 degrees to the left or right: Ch. 23, 24
κοιλέμβολος [koelembolus]: a hollow wedge formation: Ch. 35
κυρτὴ [kyrtē]: a crescent-shaped infantry formation with retiring wings: Ch. 46
λεπτυσμὸς [leptysmos]: decreasing the depth of the phalanx by halving the size of the files: Ch. 49
λοχαγός [lochargos]: the leader of a lochos (file): Ch. 5, 6, 7, 27
λόχος [lochos]: one name for a file of soldiers, usually sixteen men: Ch. 4, 9, 10