Alexander : a history of the origin and growth of the art of war from earliest times to the battle of Ipsus, : with a detailed account of the campaigns of the great Macedonian . „ ™ .„„4- „r^,.^ 4^1,^ rogative oi the great — were the usual methods. There was no cavalry, for the hilly charac-ter of Greece (except Thessaly and Boeotia) was unsuited toits evolutions, and neither, as a rule, were the horses goodnor the men of Greece used to riding. The constant em-ployment of chariots is all the more curious. From thesetwo or four horse two-wheeled vehicles the warrior descendedto fight, the
Alexander : a history of the origin and growth of the art of war from earliest times to the battle of Ipsus, : with a detailed account of the campaigns of the great Macedonian . „ ™ .„„4- „r^,.^ 4^1,^ rogative oi the great — were the usual methods. There was no cavalry, for the hilly charac-ter of Greece (except Thessaly and Boeotia) was unsuited toits evolutions, and neither, as a rule, were the horses goodnor the men of Greece used to riding. The constant em-ployment of chariots is all the more curious. From thesetwo or four horse two-wheeled vehicles the warrior descendedto fight, the driver meanwhile remaining near at hand. Atbest they were cumbrous and of doubtful value, excejit as amoral stimulant. In the tradition of the Seven against Thebes, to assertPolynices claims as king, there are some traces of organiza-tion suggested. The city was besieged by posting a separatedetachment opposite each of its gates, and by relying onhunger as an ally. But the Thebans made a sortie, slewthe seven kings, and drove their forces away. Ten yearslater the sons of these kings captured Thebes, and placedPolynices son upon the throne. ORGANIZATION AT TROY. 29. At the siege of Troy (1193-1184 B. c.) we find clear evi-dences of organization. Aga-memnon evidently had the legalpower to compel the reluctantGreek monarchs to join him inan expedition based on a merepersonal quarrel. Achilles hadtwenty-five hundred men, dividedinto five regiments of five hun-dred men each. The Greeks ad-vanced to battle in a phalanx ordeep body, shield to shield, andin silence, so that the orders of ?,?,-, • ^ ^ ^ it-» Greek Soldier, in Linen Cuirass. the leaders might be heard, liut in front of the lines of the armies there always took place a series of duels betweenthe doughtiest champions,— as it were a prolongedand very important com-bat of skirmishers beforethe closing of the heavylines. But coupled withan admirable idea of dis-cipline was the habit ofplundering the slain, f
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade189, booksubjectmilitaryartandscience
