Roman commanders underestimated?

[machinor]

Didn't usual Roman battle strategy more or less consist of steamrolling the enemy army with the infantry mass? IIRC it was that strategy that Hannibal exploited in the Cannae.

Also, one has to keep in mind, that most of the higher rank served in the army only for a relatively short term. So the real veterans were the soldiers and lower rank officers like the centurions. A wise commander would rely on them and their experience instead of his own dubious military knowledge.
After all, there is a reason, a military commander would be pronounced 'Imperator' by the legion and not by the senat or the generals.

[Wausser]

Didn't usual Roman battle strategy more or less consist of steamrolling the enemy army with the infantry mass? IIRC it was that strategy that Hannibal exploited in the Cannae.

Yeah the Romans used the same strategy over and over again. Hannibal noticed it and created a successful strategy against it.

[machinor]

Not to mention that "throw everything at 'em!" isn't that much of a sophisticated strategy. ;)

[Ca Putt]

Imo one of the advantages of the Roman army was the dicipline, which would make the lower officers very important who have to ensure that the formation stays intact. which is why i would not say roman commanders deserve more recognistion but rather the Centurions, decurions etc.

[Wausser]

Yeah, the lower officers held the troops together

[Dodge_272]

Not to mention that "throw everything at 'em!" isn't that much of a sophisticated strategy. ;)

It is if you have more to throw than the person you're fighting.

[machinor]

Even then it isn't really that much sophisticated. You don't need no Caesar, Scipio or Hannibal for that. ;)

[polluxlm]

I think he may be hinting at the fact that Roman commanders received no formal education as opposed to his meditaranian counterparts.

In that regard I would say that the many commanders obviously would often be flunkies that received the position on behalf of their birth.

The advantage of course was their organization, but something that may have been more important was the openness of the system. Whereas in monarchich societies you have a very set system of who is to do what. In Roman society you still had an elite occupying the positions, but being a democracy this elite was a lot greater in numbers, and would of course produce a fresher and more diverse set of commanders for their armies.