Ancient Warfare Magazine: Volume III Issue 6: Carnyx, cornu and signa: Battlefield communications |
|
Ancient Warfare Magazine: Volume III Issue 6: Carnyx, cornu and signa: Battlefield communications This issue of Ancient Warfare Magazine has an interesting theme - the use of signals and standards in ancient warfare, and the cults that evolved around the standards. What we see here is a long evolutionary process that saw the battle standard appear first as a signalling device or rallying point, before evolving into a symbol its unit, most famously with the Legions, while other more sophisticated forms of battlefield and longer-range signals appeared, most notably the musical instrument. There is also a look at longer range communications, and the evolution of smoke and light signals in Greek and Roman warfare.
Away from the main theme the article on the late Roman battle tactics and the possible use of the classical triplex acies (triple lines) sheds some interesting light on this more obscure period of Roman history, while the article on the battle of Cunaxa looks at a clash that is often overlooked in favour of the epic march of the 10,000, which saw the Greek mercenaries serving the defeated Royal rebel Cyrus reach safety after the battle.
This is a coherent issue of the magazine, based around an interesting theme and covering a wide time-span of close to one thousand years.
Chapters
The Source: Caged eagles and Vexilla
Means of Control: Standards and music in Iron Age Europe
Leading the Persian Spears: Persian standards of the 5th and 4th Centuries BC
Two Brothers Face Off: The battle of Cunaxa, 401 BC
Eagles, Flags and Little Boars: The Cult of the Standards in the Roman Army
Symbols of the Empire: The signa of Justinian the Great
Special: Changing formations and specialists
An ancient enigma: Solving the secrets of ancient military signalling
Articles
The Source: Trajan's Parthian war
Seeking the Knock-out Blow: A history of asymmetric warfare
The Weapon: The Parthian Bow
Armed Diplomacy: Rome and Parthia in the first century AD
Last Battle of the Parthian Wars: The battle of Nisibis, AD 217
Romans or Parthians: Legionary equipment during the Parthian campaigns of AD 197-199
The General: Flair for the unexpected (Myronides)
Be a General: Arrow versus the Spear