Roman Legion vs Barbarians - Korean riot police drill

[Gugus]

I've just seen this video:

https://youtu.be/d8LiQFnkuJY

Are those realy Roman tactics? What do you think?

[Ludens]

Maybe one of the historians can tell you more, but AFAIK the mechanics of close combat in the Classical period are still uncertain. This applies to the famous hoplite push, and even more so to the Roman legion.

So, to answer your question: I don't know. Maybe? But I suspect that the person who uploaded the video called it "Roman tactics" simply because of the use of drill and formations. Popular culture attributes these inventions to the Romans.

[Vilkku92]

Some of it might be similar to actual Roman tactics - mainly the moving and maneuvering in formations - but I'm not too convinced. For one, rioters are hardly similar to actual enemies faced by Romans. No shields, spears, javelins, training, organization - not really capable of same kind of resistance as Gauls, Greek and Carthaginians. Second, riot police isn't there to kill people with swords and javelins while trying to avoid being killed themselves, so not the same kind of stress or urgency. I'd imagine actual Roman tactics at this scale be somewhat more straightforward and aggressive, trying to close in quickly to get past the enemy spears and within sword distance.

I don't know, of course, but it would make sense to me. Gladius is a rather short weapon compared to many others, so the distance has to be bridged somehow.