HKB
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Often appears with: supply, logistics, and encampment · siege and fortification · zeuxis · water scarcity in africa · troop numbers and reinforcements · tigris crossing · strategy and the aims of war · skirmishes at outworks · roman military tactics · palisade and fosse · night march and deception · mobilization and recruitment
Usually: narrative (3) · argument (1) · commentary or gloss (1) · confronting death (1) · injustice endured (1) · censure (1) · curiosity (1) · wonder (1)
“This severity, in violation of the usages of war, was not adopted from avarice or cruelty in the consul, but was exercised because the place was of great advantage to Jugurtha, and difficult of access to us, while the inhabitants were a fickle and faithless race, to be influenced neither by kindness nor by terror.” Sallust (Gaius Sallustius Crispus), Conspiracy of Catiline and the Jurgurthine War · insight
“The victory to-day had been on the enemies' side, if they had had a general who knew how to gain it.” Plutarch, Plutarch: Lives of the noble Grecians and Romans · insight
Marius secures Capsa by coping with drought—distributing cattle, making water bottles from hides, marching at night, and surprising the town—then burns it and executes adults.
milk and wild beasts' flesh,[262] and use no salt, or other provocatives of appetite, their food being merely to satisfy hunger or thirst, and not to encourage luxury or excess. XC. The consul,[263] having made all necessary investigations, and relying, I suppose, on the gods (for against such difficulties he could not well provide by his own forethought, as he was also straitened for want of corn, because the Numid…
At the siege at Pompey’s camp, Caesar’s men suffer from shortages, feed with improvised roots, skirmish around outworks, and after hard fighting Caesar recognizes strategic missteps and considers altering operations toward Macedonia.
a victory by their sole assistance, but must disturb himself, and expose his life for those who were absent, as if he could not trust those who were with him. After this, Antony came over with the forces from Brundisium, which encouraged Caesar to give Pompey battle, though he was encamped very advantageously, and furnished with plenty of provisions both by sea and land, whilst he himself was at the beginning but il…
Antiochus marches through winter to Libba, counsels on routing to confront Molon near Babylon, adopts Zeuxis’ plan to cross the Tigris, and proceeds toward Apollonia.
[Sidenote: B.C. 221-220. Antiochus advances through Mesopotamia.] +51.+ When Antiochus had reached the Euphrates, and had taken over the force stationed there, he once more started on his march and got as far as Antioch, in Mygdonia, about mid-winter, and there remained until the worst of the winter should be over. Thence after a stay of forty days he advanced to Libba. Molon was now in the neighbourhood of Babylon:…
Polybius explains why both sides stay constrained: Romans fear Carthaginian cavalry and hold entrenchments, while Carthaginians can’t remain without cavalry or safely attack palisade-and-fosse defenses.
[Sidenote: Hannibal devastates the Campagna.] For Gnaeus Fulvius and Publius Sulpicius, having already enrolled one consular army, had bound the men with the usual oath to appear at Rome armed on that very day; and were also engaged on that day in drawing out the lists and testing the men for the other army:[325] whereby it so happened that a large number of men had been collected in Rome spontaneously in the very n…
Bonaparte stays concerned with keeping forces and winning battles, estimates troop numbers and impending Austrian strength, requests thousands more men, and receives Directory reassurances while managing fever-hospital conditions.
accustomed to war, beloved by the soldiers, lucky in his operations." Massena--"Active, indefatigable, has boldness, grasp, and promptitude in making his decisions." Serrurier--"Fights like a soldier, takes no responsibility; determined, has not much opinion of his troops, is often ailing." Despinois--"Flabby, inactive, slack, has not the genius for war, is not liked by the soldiers, does not fight with his …