Mongoose/Alex:Originally Posted by mongoose
Archers, historically, were not the preferred unit for that role. That job, pre rifle, usually fell to the cavalry. Horses could literally push men back into line, convey the impression of power, and could, of course, catch any runners fairly readily. Archers only threaten one way, and then they have to act on the threat with deadly force -- fewer "options."
Darius was confident in numbers, but would have been aware that his archers and cavalry were vital tools against the macedonians -- he wouldn't have been relying on his eastern infantry as anything but flypaper. So how many of these critical troop types could he afford to pull off the main line?
Which is not to say that something along those lines might not have improved Darius' chances. Battlefield police are an old concept, but have been used through to the present. Soviet penal battalions were the ultimate expression of this and NKVD "support" troops often were placed where they would prevent retreat. These measures did aid soviet effectiveness in combat (though not societally).
Seamus
Bookmarks