Maniple (military unit)

Maniple (; ) was a tactical unit of the Roman Republican armies, adopted during the Samnite Wars (343–290 BC). It was also the name of the military insignia carried by such units.

Maniple members, called ''commanipulares'' (: ''commanipularis'') were seen as each other's brothers-in-arms, but without the domestic closeness of the eight-man '' contubernium''.

Cohorts replaced maniples as organisational units.

History

The manipular system was adopted around 315 BC, during the Second Samnite War. The rugged terrain of Samnium, where the war was fought, was not conducive to the phalanx formation which the Romans had inherited from the Etruscans and Ancient Greeks. The main battle troops of the Etruscans and Latins of this period comprised Greek-style hoplite phalanxes, inherited from the original Greek phalanx military unit.

After suffering a series of defeats, culminating in the surrender of the entire army without resistance at Caudine Forks, the Romans abandoned the phalanx altogether, adopting the more flexible manipular system, famously referred to as "a phalanx with joints".

The manipular system was faded from ancient sources and was replaced by the cohort unit.

Structure

Polybius first described the maniple in the mid- 2nd century BC. The manipular legion was organized into four lines, starting at the front: the '' velites''; the ''hastati''; the ''principes''; and the '' triarii''. These were divided by experience, with the younger soldiers at the front lines and the older soldiers near the back. One theory proposed by J. E. Lendon asserts that this order was adapted to the Roman culture of bravery, allowing an initial show of individual heroics among the younger soldiers.

At the front of the legion organized into maniples, the ''velites'' formed a swarm of soldiers which engaged the enemy at the start of the battle. Their duties involved skirmishing, and they often worked closely with the cavalry. Next, the ''hastati'' were the youngest and least experienced soldiers, and therefore fought on the front-lines. They formed the first line of heavy infantry. The ''principes'' were more experienced soldiers who stood behind the ''hastati'' in battle. Finally, the ''triarii'' were the veteran soldiers with the most experience.

The second and third echelon generally formed with a one maniple space between each maniple and its neighbours. Retreating troops of the ''velites'' could withdraw without disrupting those behind them. Where resistance was strong the ''hastati'' would dissolve back through the Roman line, allowing the more experienced soldiers in the ''principes'' to fight. In turn, the ''principes'' could then yield to the hardened ''triarii'', if necessary. At this point in battle, the maniple greatly resembled the phalanx. Apart from allowing retreat, these gaps also proved invaluable against enemy phalanxes and provided the Romans with a major tactical advantage against their Greek foes. In order to maintain its wall of spears, the phalanx required rigid battle lines, which could not easily break into smaller units. Gaps in the maniples thus lured hoplites in and disrupted their formation, after which they became disorganized, surrounded, and easy prey for Roman swords.

According to Polybius, the most complete and likely the most accurate account, the legion consisted of 10 maniples of 120 ''hastati'', 10 maniples of 120 ''principes'', and 10 half strength maniples of ''triarii'' containing 60 men each. With 1,200 ''velites'' and 300 cavalrymen a legion numbered 4,500 men. However, in times of great need the number might be reinforced up to 5,000.

Equipment

The echelons differed not only in their roles, but also in their equipment. Polybius describes their panoply in detail. First, the ''velites'' were armed with a sword, javelins, and a small shield called a parma. They wore no armor, apart from a helmet, which was often covered in animal skins. Polybius asserts that these skins not only protected the helmet, but also served as a means of identification, such that soldiers could be remembered and later rewarded for acts of bravery. Next, the ''hastati'' were armed in "full panoply." Their armament included a sword, javelins, and a large, reinforced shield. For armor, they wore a helmet decorated with tall plumes designed to make its wearer appear larger, as well as a sheet of metal called a "heart plate" to protect the chest. ''Principes'' were equipped in the same manner as the ''hastati''. Wealthier soldiers (of a property value greater than 10,000 drachmas) could afford a chain-mail cuirass. Finally, the ''triarii'' were equipped like the other infantry, with the exception of a thrusting spear in place of javelins.

This equipment was generally lighter and cheaper than that of the Servian hoplites that preceded the maniple. It emphasized the flexibility of the maniple system and allowed for lightly armored, highly mobile soldiers. Moreover, because purchasing the equipment was the responsibility of the individual soldier, its affordability helped increase the number of citizens eligible for military service.

Drill and fighting formations

See also

* List of Roman army unit types

References

Bibliography

Primary sources

*Primary sources for early Roman military organization include the writings of Polybius and Livy.
*A primary source for later Roman military organization and tactics is ''Epitoma rei militaris'' (also referred to as De Re Militari), by Flavius Vegetius Renatus

Secondary sources

*Pauly-Wissowa (German-language encyclopaedia on everything relating to Classical Antiquity)

External links

''The Military Institutions of the Romans'' (''De Re Militari'')
��Translated from the Latin by Lieutenant John Clarke (1767)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maniple (Military Unit)
Infantry units and formations of ancient Rome
Military units and formations of the Roman Republic
Roman tactical formations