Quotations from Chapter 11-A by Nicholas Sekunda
The systems implemented by the various Hellenistic kingdoms to create pools of settler-citizen-soldiers were limited by the extent of crown land available for alienation. New land ceased to become available through conquest, and it became increasingly difficult to expand the system beyond its existing territorial and numerical limits.
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The only other path open to the Hellenistic monarchs was to recruit troops from among their native populations. The Seleucid army at Magnesia was truly multi-national. We have no evidence, however, that the Seleucids ever admitted orientals into the phalanx: they fought in other units. The Ptolemies made use of Egyptian troops from the beginning, and prior to the battle of Raphia they were trained as phalangites. Increasing use was made of native troops throughout the second and first centuries. This was an experiment with dangerous consequences. According to Polybius (5.107.1–3), the victory at Raphia was immediately followed by the first of a series of Egyptian revolts, which he attributes directly to the arming of the Egyptians for the battle.
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In contrast, the population base of Rome continued to expand. By 264, the ager romanus had quintupled to 26,805 sq. km, supporting a population of around 900,000. Polybius estimated that in 225 the total number of Romans and allies able to bear arms was 700,000 foot and 70,000 horse. De Sanctis, followed by Brunt, has calculated that at the period of her maximum effort during the Second Punic War in 212 the Romans were able to field around 80,000 citizens in twenty-five legions. Statistics gathered by Afzelius (with Brunt’s corrections) demonstrate that, from 200 down to 168, Rome rarely had a force of less than 100,000 men mobilized, and normally fielded eight legions. Where statistics are known over the same period, there were over 6,500 Italian allies per legion. The allies generally furnished separate contingents as well as units serving with the legions.
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The disparity between the manpower reserves available to Rome and to any Hellenistic monarch had profound influence on the way in which the opponents made war. Roman commanders could risk defeat in battle since a second army could always be levied in place of the first. The total size and relative dynamism of the manpower reserve of the heavy infantry main force was particularly important, for this element suffered disproportionately heavy casualties in defeat. In major campaigns the Hellenistic monarchs mobilized a large proportion of their ‘citizen’ manpower pool to field as
large a phalanx as possible, the phalanx now being the principal force on the battlefield. If a major defeat was suffered, the manpower base was crippled for a whole generation. Hence, the pitched battle was an all-or-nothing affair, and this could sometimes induce an air of over-caution in command.
