Short essay from Introduce to phycology

A ncie n t H is to ry S ourc eb ook:

Jo sep hus ( 3 7- a fte r 9 3 C E):

The R om an A rm y in t h e F ir s t C en tu ry C E le g acy.f o rd ham .e d u /H als a ll/ a ncie nt/jo se phus-w arb .a sp Book 3 : C hap te r 5 : D ESC RIP TIO N O F T H E R O M AN A RM IE S A ND R O M AN CAM PS 1. N O W h ere o ne c a nnot b ut a dm ir e a t th e p re ca utio n o f th e R om ans, in p ro vid in g th em se lv e s of s u ch h ouse hold s e rv a nts , a s m ig ht n ot only s e rv e a t o th er tim es fo r th e c o m mon o ffic e s o f lif e , b ut mig ht a ls o b e o f a dva nta ge to th em in th eir w ars . A nd, in deed, if a ny o ne d oes b ut atte nd to th e o th er p arts o f th eir m ilit a ry dis cip lin e, h e w ill b e fo rc e d to c o nfe ss th at th eir obta in in g so la rg e a d om in io n h ath b een th e a cq uis it io n o f th eir v a lo r, and n ot th e b are g if t o f fo rtu ne; fo r th ey d o n ot b egin to u se th eir w eapons fir s t in tim e o f w ar, n or d o th ey th en p ut th eir hands fir s t in to m otio n, w hile th ey a vo id ed s o to d o in tim es of p eace ; b ut, a s if th eir w eapons did a lw ays c lin g to th em , th ey have n eve r a ny tr u ce fr o m w arlik e e xe rc is e s; n or d o th ey s ta y till tim es o f w ar a dm onis h th em to u se th em ; fo r th eir m ilit a ry exe rc is e s d if fe r n ot a t a ll fr o m th e re al u se o f th eir a rm s, b ut eve ry s o ld ie r is e ve ry d ay e xe rc is e d, a nd th at w it h g re at d ilig ence , as if it w ere in tim e o f w ar, w hic h is th e r e aso n w hy th ey b ear th e fa tig ue o f b attle s s o e asily ; fo r n eit h er c a n a ny d is o rd er re m ove th em fr o m th eir u su al r e gula rit y , n or c a n fe ar a ffr ig ht th em out o f it , n or c a n la bor tir e th em ; w hic h fir m ness o f c o nduct make s th em a lw ays to o ve rc o m e th ose th at h ave n ot th e s a m e fir m ness; nor w ould h e b e m is ta ke n th at s h ould c a ll th ose th eir exe rc is e s unblo ody b attle s, a nd th eir b attle s b lo ody e xe rc is e s. N or c a n th eir e nem ie s e asily su rp ris e th em w it h th e s u ddenness o f th eir in cu rs io ns; fo r a s s o on a s th ey h ave m arc h ed in to an e nem y's la nd, th ey d o n ot b egin to fig ht till th ey h ave w alle d th eir c a m p a bout; nor is th e fe nce th ey r a is e r a sh ly m ade, o r u neve n; n or d o th ey all a bid e ill it , n or d o th ose th at a re in it ta ke th eir p la ce s at r a ndom ; b ut if it h appens th at th e g ro und is u neve n, it is fir s t le ve le d: th eir ca m p is a ls o fo ur-s q uare b y m easu re , a nd ca rp ente rs a re r e ady, in g re at n um bers , w it h th eir to ols , to e re ct th eir b uild in gs fo r th em .

2. A s fo r w hat is w it h in th e c a m p, it is s e t a part fo r te nts , but th e o utw ard c ir c u m fe re nce h ath th e r e se m bla nce to a w all, and is a dorn ed w it h to w ers a t e qual d is ta nce s, w here b etw een th e to w ers s ta nd th e e ngin es fo r th ro w in g a rro w s a nd d arts , a nd fo r slin gin g s to nes, a nd w here th ey la y a ll o th er e ngin es th at c a n annoy th e e nem y, a ll r e ady fo r th eir s e ve ra l o pera tio ns.

They als o e re ct fo ur g ate s, o ne a t e ve ry s id e o f th e c ir c u m fe re nce , and th ose la rg e e nough fo r th e e ntr a nce o f th e b easts , a nd w id e enough fo r m akin g e xcu rs io ns, if o cca sio n s h ould re quir e . T hey div id e th e c a m p w it h in in to s tr e ets , v e ry c o nve nie ntly , a nd p la ce th e te nts o f th e co m manders in th e m id dle ; b ut in th e v e ry m id st of a ll is th e g enera l's o w n te nt, in th e n atu re o f a te m ple , in so m uch , th at it a ppears to b e a c it y b uilt o n th e s u dden, w it h it s m ark e t- p la ce , and pla ce fo r h andic ra ft tr a des, a nd w it h s e ats fo r th e o ffic e rs su perio r a nd in fe rio r, w here , if a ny dif fe re nce s a ris e , th eir ca use s a re h eard a nd d ete rm in ed. T he c a m p, a nd a ll th at is in it , is enco m passe d w it h a w all r o und a bout, a nd th at s o oner th an one w ould im agin e, a nd th is b y th e m ult it u de a nd th e s kill o f th e la bore rs ; a nd, if o cca sio n r e quir e , a tr e nch is d ra w n r o und th e whole , w hose d epth is fo ur c u bit s , a nd it s b re adth e qual.

3. W hen th ey h ave th us s e cu re d th em se lv e s, th ey liv e to geth er by c o m panie s, w it h q uie tn ess and d ece ncy, a s a re a ll th eir o th er affa ir s m anaged w it h g ood o rd er a nd s e cu rit y . E ach co m pany h ath als o th eir w ood, a nd th eir c o rn , a nd th eir w ate r b ro ught th em , when th ey s ta nd 1/4 in n eed o f th em ; fo r th ey n eit h er s u p n or d in e as th ey p le ase th em se lv e s s in gly , b ut a ll to geth er. T heir tim es als o fo r s le epin g, a nd w atc h in g, a nd r is in g a re n otif ie d b efo re hand by th e so und o f tr u m pets , n or is a ny th in g d one w it h out s u ch a sig nal; a nd in th e m orn in g th e s o ld ie ry go e ve ry o ne to th eir ce ntu rio ns, a nd th ese c e ntu rio ns to th eir tr ib unes, to s a lu te th em ; w it h whom a ll th e s u perio r o ffic e rs g o to th e g enera l o f th e w hole a rm y, w ho th en g iv e s th em o f co urs e th e w atc h w ord a nd oth er o rd ers , to b e b y th em c a re d to a ll th at a re u nder th eir co m mand; w hic h is a ls o o bse rv e d w hen th ey g o to fig ht, a nd th ere by th ey tu rn th em se lv e s about o n th e s u dden, w hen th ere is o cca sio n fo r m akin g s a llie s, a s th ey c o m e b ack w hen th ey are r e ca lle d in cro w ds a ls o .

4. N ow w hen th ey a re to g o o ut o f th eir c a m p, th e tr u m pet g iv e s a s o und, a t w hic h tim e n obody lie s s till, b ut a t th e fir s t in tim atio n th ey ta ke d ow n th eir te nts , a nd a ll is m ade r e ady fo r th eir goin g out; th en d o th e tr u m pets s o und a gain , to o rd er th em to g et r e ady fo r th e m arc h ; th en d o th ey la y th eir b aggage s u ddenly u pon th eir mule s, a nd o th er b easts o f b urd en, a nd s ta nd, a s at th e p la ce of s ta rtin g, r e ady to m arc h ; w hen a ls o th ey s e t fir e to th eir ca m p, a nd th is th ey d o beca use it w ill b e e asy fo r th em to e re ct anoth er c a m p, a nd th at it m ay n ot e ve r b e o f u se to th eir e nem ie s.

Then d o th e tr u m pets g iv e a s o und th e th ir d tim e, th at th ey a re to g o o ut, in ord er to e xcit e th ose th at o n a ny a cco unt a re a lit tle ta rd y, th at s o n o o ne m ay b e o ut o f h is ra nk w hen th e a rm y marc h es. T hen d oes th e c rie r s ta nd a t th e g enera l's r ig ht h and, and a sks th em th ric e , in th eir o w n to ngue, w heth er th ey b e n ow re ady to g o o ut to w ar o r n ot? T o w hic h th ey r e ply a s o fte n, w it h a lo ud a nd c h eerfu l v o ic e , s a yin g, " W e a re r e ady." A nd th is th ey d o alm ost b efo re th e q uestio n is a ske d th em : th ey d o th is a s fille d w it h a k in d o f m artia l fu ry , a nd at th e s a m e tim e th at th ey s o c ry o ut, th ey lif t u p th eir r ig ht h ands a ls o .

5. W hen, a fte r th is , th ey a re g one o ut o f th eir c a m p, th ey a ll marc h w it h out n ois e , a nd in a dece nt m anner, a nd e ve ry o ne k e eps his o w n r a nk, a s if th ey w ere g oin g to w ar. T he fo otm en are a rm ed wit h b re astp la te s a nd h ead-p ie ce s, a nd h ave s w ord s o n e ach s id e; but th e s w ord whic h is u pon th eir le ft s id e is m uch lo nger th an th e o th er, fo r th at o n th e r ig ht s id e is n ot lo nger th an a s p an.

Those fo ot- m en a ls o th at a re c h ose n o ut fr o m th e r e st to b e a bout th e genera l h im se lf h ave a la nce a nd a b uckle r, b ut th e r e st o f th e fo ot s o ld ie rs h ave a s p ear a nd a lo ng b uckle r, b esid es a s a w and a b aske t, a p ic k-a xe a nd a n a xe , a th ong o f le ath er a nd a hook, w it h p ro vis io ns fo r th re e d ays, s o th at a fo otm an h ath n o gre at n eed o f a m ule to c a rry his b urd ens. T he h ors e m en h ave a lo ng s w ord o n th eir r ig ht s id es, a xe d a lo ng p ole in th eir hand; a s h ie ld a ls o lie s b y th em o bliq uely o n o ne s id e o f th eir h ors e s, wit h th re e o r m ore d arts th at a re b orn e in th eir q uiv e r, h avin g bro ad p oin ts , a nd n ot s m alle r th an s p ears . T hey h ave als o h ead-p ie ce s and b re astp la te s, in lik e m anner a s h ave a ll th e fo otm en. A nd fo r th ose th at are c h ose n to b e a bout th e g enera l, th eir a rm or no w ay d if fe rs fr o m th at o f th e h ors e m en belo ngin g to o th er tr o ops; and h e a lw ays le ads th e le gio ns fo rth to w hom th e lo t a ssig ns th at em plo ym ent.

6. T his is th e m anner o f th e m arc h in g a nd r e stin g o f th e R om ans, as a ls o th ese a re th e s e ve ra l so rts o f w eapons th ey u se . B ut w hen th ey a re to fig ht, th ey le ave n oth in g w it h out fo re ca st, n or to be d one o ff- h and, b ut c o unse l is e ve r fir s t ta ke n b efo re a ny w ork is b egun, a nd w hat h ath been th ere r e so lv e d u pon is p ut in e xe cu tio n pre se ntly ; fo r w hic h r e aso n th ey s e ld om c o m mit any e rro rs ; a nd if th ey h ave b een m is ta ke n a t a ny tim e, th ey e asily c o rre ct th ose mis ta ke s.

They a ls o e ste em a ny e rro rs th ey c o m mit u pon ta kin g co unse l b efo re hand to b e b ette r th an su ch r a sh s u cce ss a s is o w in g to fo rtu ne o nly ; b eca use s u ch a fo rtu it o us a dva nta ge te m pts th em to b e in co nsid era te , w hile c o nsu lt a tio n, th ough it m ay s o m etim es fa il o f s u cce ss, h ath th is g ood in it , th at it m ake s m en m ore ca re fu l h ere afte r; b ut fo r th e a dva nta ges th at a ris e fr o m ch ance , th ey a re n ot o w in g to h im th at g ain s th em ; a nd a s to w hat m ela nch oly accid ents happen u nexp ecte dly , th ere is th is c o m fo rt in th em , th at th ey h ad h ow eve r ta ke n th e b est co nsu lt a tio ns th ey c o uld to p re ve nt th em .

7. N ow th ey s o m anage th eir p re para to ry e xe rc is e s o f th eir w eapons, th at n ot th e b odie s o f th e so ld ie rs o nly , b ut th eir s o uls m ay als o b eco m e s tr o nger: th ey a re m ore ove r h ard ened fo r w ar 2/4 by fe ar; fo r th eir la w s in flic t c a pit a l p unis h m ents , n ot o nly fo r s o ld ie rs ru nnin g a w ay fr o m th e ra nks, b ut fo r s lo th fu ln ess a nd in activ it y , th ough it b e b ut in a le sse r d egre e; a s a re th eir genera ls m ore se ve re th an th eir la w s, fo r th ey p re ve nt a ny im puta tio n o f c ru elt y to w ard th ose under c o ndem natio n, b y th e g re at r e w ard s th ey b esto w on th e v a lia nt s o ld ie rs ; a nd th e re adin ess o f o beyin g th eir c o m manders is s o g re at, th at it is v e ry o rn am enta l in p eace ; b ut when th ey co m e to a b attle , th e w hole a rm y is b ut o ne b ody, s o w ell c o uple d to geth er a re th eir ra nks, s o s u dden a re th eir tu rn in gs a bout, so s h arp th eir h earin g a s to w hat o rd ers a re g iv e n th em , s o q uic k th eir s ig ht o f th e e nsig ns, a nd s o n im ble a re th eir h ands w hen th ey s e t to w ork ; where by it c o m es to p ass th at w hat th ey d o is done q uic kly , a nd w hat th ey s u ffe r th ey b ear wit h th e g re ate st patie nce . N or c a n w e fin d a ny e xa m ple s w here th ey h ave b een c o nquere d in battle , w hen th ey c a m e to a c lo se fig ht, e it h er b y th e m ult it u de of th e e nem ie s, o r b y th eir str a ta gem s, o r b y th e d if fic u lt ie s in th e p la ce s th ey w ere in ; n o, n or b y fo rtu ne n eit h er, fo r th eir vic to rie s h ave b een s u re r to th em th an fo rtu ne c o uld h ave g ra nte d th em . In a c a se , th ere fo re , where c o unse l s till g oes b efo re a ctio n, and w here , a fte r ta kin g th e b est a dvic e , th at a dvic e is fo llo w ed by s o a ctiv e a n a rm y, w hat w onder is it th at E uphra te s o n th e east, th e o ce an o n th e west, th e m ost fe rtile r e gio ns o f L ib ya on th e s o uth , a nd th e D anube a nd th e R hin e o n th e north , a re th e lim it s o f th is e m pir e ? O ne m ig ht w ell s a y th at th e R om an p osse ssio ns are n ot in fe rio r to th e R om ans th em se lv e s.

8. T his a cco unt I h ave g iv e n th e r e ader, n ot s o m uch w it h th e in te ntio n o f c o m mendin g th e Rom ans, a s o f c o m fo rtin g th ose th at have b een c o nquere d b y th em , a nd fo r th e d ete rrin g oth ers fr o m atte m ptin g in nova tio ns u nder th eir g ove rn m ent. T his d is co urs e of th e R om an milit a ry c o nduct m ay a ls o p erh aps b e o f u se to s u ch of th e c u rio us a s a re ig nora nt o f it , a nd y e t have a m in d to k n ow it . I r e tu rn n ow fr o m th is d ig re ssio n.

Book 3 : C hap te r 6 : T he A rm y o n t h e M arc h 2. B ut a s V esp asia n h ad a g re at m in d to fa ll u pon G alile e, h e marc h ed o ut o f P to le m ais , havin g p ut h is a rm y in to th at o rd er where in th e R om ans u se d to m arc h . H e o rd ere d th ose auxilia rie s whic h w ere lig htly a rm ed, a nd th e a rc h ers , to m arc h fir s t, th at th ey m ig ht p re ve nt any s u dden in su lt s fr o m th e e nem y, a nd m ig ht se arc h o ut th e w oods th at lo oke d s u sp ic io usly , and w ere c a pable of a m busca des. N ext to th ese fo llo w ed th at p art o f th e R om ans whic h w as co m ple te ly a rm ed, b oth fo otm en ,a nd h ors e m en. N ext to th ese fo llo w ed te n o ut o f e ve ry hundre d, c a rry in g a lo ng w it h th em th eir a rm s, a nd w hat w as n ece ssa ry to m easu re o ut a ca m p w it h al; and a fte r th em , s u ch a s w ere to m ake th e r o ad e ve n a nd s tr a ig ht, and if it w ere any w here r o ugh a nd h ard to b e p asse d o ve r, to pla ne it , a nd to c u t d ow n th e w oods th at hin dere d th eir m arc h , th at th e a rm y m ig ht n ot b e in d is tr e ss, o r tir e d w it h th eir m arc h .

Behin d th ese h e s e t s u ch c a rria ges o f th e a rm y a s b elo nged b oth to h im se lf a nd to th e o th er co m manders , w it h a c o nsid era ble n um ber of th eir h ors e m en fo r th eir s e cu rit y . A fte r th ese h e marc h ed h im se lf , havin g w it h h im a s e le ct b ody o f fo otm en, a nd h ors e m en, a nd p ik e m en.

Afte r th ese c a m e th e p ecu lia r c a va lr y o f h is o w n le gio n, fo r th ere were a h undre d a nd tw enty hors e m en th at p ecu lia rly b elo nged to eve ry le gio n. N ext to th ese c a m e th e m ule s th at c a rrie d th e e ngin es fo r s ie ges, a nd th e o th er w arlik e m ach in es o f th at n atu re . A fte r th ese c a m e th e co m manders o f th e c o horts a nd tr ib unes, h avin g about th em s o ld ie rs c h ose n o ut o f th e r e st.

Then c a m e th e e nsig ns enco m passin g th e e agle , w hic h is a t th e h ead o f e ve ry R om an le gio n, th e k in g, a nd th e s tr o ngest o f a ll b ir d s, w hic h s e em s to th em a s ig nal o f d om in io n, a nd a n om en th at th ey s h all c o nquer a ll again st w hom th ey m arc h ; th ese s a cre d e nsig ns a re fo llo w ed by th e tr u m pete rs . T hen c a m e th e m ain a rm y in th eir s q uadro ns a nd batta lio ns, w it h s ix m en in d epth , w hic h w ere fo llo w ed a t la st by a c e ntu rio n, w ho, a cco rd in g to c u sto m , o bse rv e d th e re st. A s fo r th e s e rv a nts o f e ve ry le gio n, th ey a ll fo llo w ed th e fo otm en, and le d th e b aggage o f th e s o ld ie rs , w hic h w as b orn e b y th e m ule s and o th er b easts o f b urd en. B ut b ehin d a ll th e le gio ns c a rn e th e whole m ult it u de o f th e m erc e narie s; a nd th ose th at b ro ught u p th e r e ar c a m e la st o f a ll fo r th e s e cu rit y o f th e w hole a rm y, bein g b oth fo otm en, a nd th ose in th eir a rm or a ls o , wit h a g re at num ber o f h ors e m en.

3/4 Sourc e :

Fla viu s J o se phus:

The J e w is h W ar . III.5 -6 , tr a ns. W illia m Whis to n. C om ple te w ork s o f Jo se phus o nlin e a t C CEL - http ://c ce l. w heato n.e du/j/ jo se phus/J O SEPH US.H TM This te xt is p art o f th e In te rn et A ncie nt H is to ry S ourc e book .

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