Bret Devereaux

By definition these guys would be working in irregular ground against a skittish cloud of assailants. How would you drill for that? It'd be like planning your dice rolls.

It strikes me also as a more improvised thing. The equipment isn't ideal for the role. Cf. the legion's velites integrated screening force, which not only used javelins, but used a different *type* of javelin from the heavy infantry; hasta velitaris seems to be much lighter.

I think clearly you'd rather have peltasts in this role if you could, but Xen. has frighteningly few to work with in the Anabasis; 2,100 peltasts and 200 archers for a force of 10,700 hoplites, if my numbers are right. Cf. 1200 velites screening 3000 roman heavy inf.

I think we all agree with that assumption - that the tactic is an emergency measure. You don’t do it if you have psiloi to do it for you.

Sure, sure. I just think that probably argues against a system of drill for the tactic.

I don’t see why? Why would you risk disrupting critical cohesion when a relatively low amount of prep would be necessary to mitigate that risk?

Mostly because the Roman system for doing the same was kind of complex and purpose-built. Not only having the velites, but having a formation built with lanes for them to retreat through, and a command system with smaller tactical units.

Of course I want to be cautious here - we're getting out beyond our sources to say much of anything at all. If you'll permit the jurassic park reference, we're mostly debating frog DNA here. But that's my read: this stuff is hard, the Romans needed a formation designed for it..