
Originally Posted by
Titus Marcellus Scato
I don't like the historical context for that picture (although it is extremely impressive visually, best one here) because it looks as if the Gaesatae are too close to the Romans. Surely the Gauls would know better than to get so close to a charging elephant. After all, the elephant is only an animal and probably can't really tell the difference between friend and foe - it would likely attack anything in front of it. And while the mahout can make an elephant stop, turn, and go, I'm not sure if he would have enough control to stop the elephant attacking friendly infantry if they were mixed up with the enemy in a mass melee. It's not like controlling a horse with reins.
I think that's why elephants were commonly used at the start of battles, before the two sides became mixed up. Less chance of them running amok into a friendly formation. (What would you call that in history? Not friendly fire, but something similiar. Friendly trample? Friendly squash?)
Mahout to Gaesatae after the battle: "I'm sorry, my elephant didn't mean to tread on your friends, he just got a bit over-excited. No hard feelings, we're all on the same side, aren't we?" Gaesatae: "Grrrrr....."
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