Thread by @AncientMiliHist

--Roman Hoplites and the Impetus to Change--
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Until getting thrashed by the #Gallic Senones at the #Battle of Allia in 387 BC, getting their city pillaged, and then having to endure "Vae Victus", the #Romans stuck with a hellenic-inspired #phalanx formation, complete

with the round-shield Clipeus (Greek: Aspis), Hasta (Greek: Dory) rigidly. - - -

The battle formation was a holdover from the earlier #Roman Kingdom (in itself a holdover from the Etruscans), with units divided into centuries that were ACTUALLY 100 men with more gradients based on wealth.-

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-  They divided their army into 2 different ranks of hoplites (1st and 2nd Class), 2 different ranks of javelin armed support units (3rd and 4th Class), a slinger/skirmisher support unit (5th Class) and a cavalry division (Equites).-

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We're not 100% percent on all these numbers, but it might have looked something like this: -

300 Equites: on flanks or reserves -

1500  1st Class: #Hoplites (placed as the front line)- -

1500 2nd Class: Spearmen (perhaps with a predecessor of the #scutum)- -

800  3rd/4th Class: Spear/Javelinmen- -

400 5th Class: Psiloi/Light Missile #Infantry- -
totalling 4,500 men. -
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Some have wondered why 40 years later, in the first Samnite War, #Romans were able to win so handily against a better organized, more numerous #army.

I believe, that after the Senone's sacking, a few things would change: There would be a thorough militarization of the culture which would make Romans look at the pragmatic aspects of war,

and force them to gradually loosen their phalanx formation into what we recognize as the the Manipular #Legion, which we'll talk about in some time. - - A suggestion by : @amon.vdb

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- #romanarmy #republicanrome #hoplite #warfare #militarytactics #legionnaire #historia #romansoldier #ancientmilitaryhistory #vaevictis #geschichte #romanhistory #antiquity #gauls #centurion #roma #Rome #artofwar #barbarians #ancientwarfare