> Ancient bows weren't all that long-ranged - we're not talking
English
> longbows here.
The Persian bow was a composite weapon which was quite large by ancient standards (48" or 1.2m long). The likely draw weight of such a weapon would be 65-85 lbs. English longbows seem to have usually drawn from 70-120 lbs (though larger estimates are not uncommon- even up to 150lbs which seems excessive!). The most powerful bows seem to have an effective range of about 240 metres.
The effective range of slings firing lead bullets appears to have been about 320 metres. Here is a good link on slings: http://www.staff.ncl.ac.uk/nikolas.lloyd/weapons/sling.html.
Xenephon's missile troops probably retreated into the
> phalanxes because of the threat of cavalry, and the bows would not
have the
> range to hit the enemy from the back ranks. This tactic remained
true up to
> the Napoleanic wars - the Square was the basic (and very good)
defense
> against cavalry. Good commanders would threaten the enemy infantry
with
> cavalry to force them into Square, then unload with cannons from
outside
> musket range. The close-packed infantry squares were perfect
targets for
> cannon, and the men could not sally forth to attack the artillery
because of
> the cavalry threat. (Once rifles became the norm, and able to
match the
> range of smoothbore cannon, the square went out of favor for most
> circumstances - but still by the British used against the Zulu and
> Dervishes.)
>
Interstingly Greek hoplites rarely (if ever) formed a stationary square like Napoleonic infantry. A general lack of missile weapons and a requirement therefore to close with the enemy meant that forming a square was a prelude to disaster. Greek hoplites could repulse Persian cavalry who were foolish enough to come to contact pretty easily (e.g. Plataea, Agesilaus in Asia Minor). Persian cavalry weren't lancers. They were horse archers or mounted javalinmen and weren't used in a shock role against ordered foot. The cavalry in Xenephon's account are described as shooting with bows rather than closing to drive in the Greek light infantry.
The square formation Xenephon describes is a marching formation with a hollow centre. It was, after all, essential that the Greeks kept moving and avoided getting pinned down by Persian light troops.
Powered by hypermail