Triari and phalanx

[Jagger]

When did the triari make the transition from phalanx to regular formations? IIRC, the triari were still using phalanx in 280BC.

Also when did the principes go to pilum use from regular spears?

Thanks in advance!

[Red Harvest]

Jagger, could you give some info on what context the triarii were using a phalanx formation in 280 BC? I'm assuming this was at Heraclea vs. Pyrrhus? The info before the 1st Punic War is pretty sparse. The Samnite wars apparently led to abandonment of the phalanx formation for more flexible maniples copied from the Samnites (I read one bit on the web about the Samnites deploying their maniples in "duplex acies" with a line of skirmishers in front.) The terrain of the Samnite wars was not generally suited to phalanx warfare.

The triarii maniple shown in Goldsworthy's "The Complete Roman Army" is 60 men, but only 3 ranks deep. If the illustration is correct, then it was clearly not a phalanx, and unless the maniples were combined, they would not be able to act as real phalanx. The legions formed on the triarii maniples so it seems unlikely that the triarii maniples were regularly combined to form phalanx formations.

Another argument against triarii forming as phalanx is their normal placement at the rear. Phalanx were typically used as the main line.

[Jagger]

I read an account on the web of the battle of Heraclea vs. Pyrrhus in 280 BC which had the Roman triari in phalanx.

And I just finished giving the early triari a phalanx capability.

I am using the realism mod with the early, mid and late triari. So if there was any historical support, I thought I would make the early triari have the phalanx capability. And also may convert the early principe to a spear armed soldier to reflect the pre-maniple roman army. I am not sure how the early hastati evolved from the pre-maniple army.

I am not sure how realistic it is. But it would differentiate the early units from the mid and late units. And then of course, they all disappear with the Marian reforms.

[Red Harvest]

Ok, I've been reading the relevant sections of "Fighting Techniques of the Ancient World" for info on the early Roman armies. (Goldsworthy's "Complete Roman Army" says little about the Roman army before the Punic wars and states that its starting point is indeed at the time of the Punic Wars, rather than predecessor Roman army types.)

It interprets Polybius, Livy and whatever archeological evidence there is to conclude that the Etruscans who conquered Rome around 600 B.C. utilized the hoplite system, and the 2nd Etruscan ruler, Servius Tullius organized Rome into classes. This "Servian army" had ~half the army as hoplites. Hoplite formations require a lot of men so of necessity a hoplite based army would need a lot of hoplites! These were the wealthiest class, landowners who could afford the equipment that the hoplite militia was required to provide. It would appear that other classes were under represented in numbers, and made up lighter infantry and skirmishers.

Servian Army (~14,400 men):
80 centuries of hoplites with full hoplite armour and weapons
20 centuries of lighter hoplites lacking much of armour and using oval long shields
20 centuries of similar troops, lacking greaves
20 centuries of javelinmen
30 centuries of slingers
(Assumptions are made about cavalry as well)

Rome kicked out the Etruscan kings in the late 6th or early 5th centuries BC but retained the above basic army form until they suffered some serious defeats by Gaul and Samnite armies in the 4th century BC. They adopted some of the Samnite styles of fighting and abandoned the phalanx somewhere around 300 BC.

As a result of the changes the army of the time was: hastati spearmen (~first 1/4 of them had spear and javelin, while the rear 3/4 had spear and oblong shield).

Behind the hastati were principes all carrying oblong shields and "fine arms." (Probably swords.)

Behind this was a group of three sections of triarii (vets of proven courage), rorarii (young and inexperienced), and accensii (the least reliable). The triarii were spear armed and carried shields.

Samnites.
I've wondered if it might be possible to move the start date to 3xx BC and create a Latin League faction and perhaps Samnites in place of the Scipii (although you kind of need a territory in the Appenines for the faction as well, with Capua being rebel.) Samnites could primarily be the spearmen and peltasts already available.

Gladius:
One of the interesting things to make note of is that it was probably not until mid-way through the 2nd Punic War that the Roman legions began standard use of the gladius as we think of it. This was a weapon adopted from the Celtiberians. The Celtiberians had abundant iron and blacksmiths that produced superior weapons. Their swords were strong and didn't bend/break like their contemporaries. It was not until Rome made progress in Spain that they could tap this resource. Scipio Africanus made use of the Spanish blacksmiths to re-equip his armies.

[Red Harvest]

The triarii of 280 B.C. might have appeared phalanx like in action upon reading through the interpretation given of Livy's description of the post Samnite War army. They formed a spear wall, and advanced en masse. However, it might have been a rather thin version of a phalanx (lacking depth.)

[Parmenio]

The Triarii line was too thin for an agressive 'streamroller' style phalanx. They were very much a defensive stand off to keep the enemy at bay long enough to reform the Hastati and Principes.