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Re: orion-list 1Chr 27 and 1QM on militia
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Dear Russel,
Even if I'm not yet in possession of your doubtlessly utmost useful articles
on manipular tactics in the scroll, I wonder why the redactor numbers the
cavalry based upon the structure of seven mixed (parentaxis) 'Macedonian'
brigades (chiliarchia) with incorporated light- and heavy infantry on each
of the four sides of the fortified field camp as follows:
- 4,600 lights instead of the resulting 5,600, for 4 sides x 7 brigades x 2
wings x 100 light cavalry adds up to 5,600 light cavalry,
- 1,400 heavies quite correct, for 4 sides x 7 brigades x 50 "knights" adds
up to 1,400 heavy cavalry,
only to come to the somewhat strange total of 6,000 instead of 7,000 cavalry
and the remarkable possibility to conclude: "... 500 per tribe".
Well, it is indeed possible that the redactor had stumbled over the mystery
of mathematics (like me in my last post), but that seems to be less probable
(for he had more time than I'll ever have); more likely he had overworked a
text depending on column 2's "Rule of Regularly Service", which may have
started with 6,000 cavalry, 500 per tribe.
I've tried it out and - surprise - it fits perfectly with six brigades
(probably forming three more realistic echelons on the field):
- 4 sides x 6 brigades x 1,000 foot adds up to 24,000 foot, cf. 1Chr.
27:1-15 dressed as Greco-Roman bronze shield-bearers,
- 4 sides x 6 brigades x 2 wings x 100 light cavalry adds up to 4, 800 light
cavalry, and
- 4 sides x 6 brigades x 50 'knights' adds up to 1,200 heavy cavalry.
In total 24,000 foot and 6,000 cavalry. Qed.
That not only would refer to the militia in the Chronicles but likewise to
an underlying Hellenistic organization of the army modernized by later
redaction with Roman tactics (?) and amarment. A conclusion which seems to
be logical in a Hellenistic world supported - at least during the Syrian
Wars - by Jewish mercenaries as hoplites (or peltasts) on both sides...
The 7er symbolism to be seen here as well as in the seven battles vs. the
Kittim seems to be probably nothing but the result of a later astronomical
redaction to show the divine hand's governing the events. I work on it as
"layer 2".
However, the scroll shows knowledge of the structure of an utmost mobile
combined arms force in modern regiment strength, i.e., 1, 000 mixed foot,
200 light and 50 heavy cavalry and perhaps (why not?) some field artillery
in the 'towers'. I don't know where that comes from, for the later Imperial
cohors miliaria (1,000 foot) and cohors equitata (450 foot + 150 cavalry)
show less similarity to our "regiment". And it is never recorded again until
the 1st SS Panzer Division, Hitler's Leibstandarde, started with that stuff
during the Ardennes Offensive...
Cheers
Dierk
For private reply, e-mail to "Dierk" <haGalil@gmx.net>
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