Assault Quadreme, Spear Levy

Description

There is a good deal of debate as to how large ancient warships worked; the principles are understood, but the details are not always so clear. A Roman 'quadreme' or Greek 'tetreres' would seem to have four rows of oars if the name is translated literally. However, it is unclear how four sets of oars each with one rower apiece could be used without them getting in a terrible tangle even with a magnificently trained crew, or how the top set of rowers would be able to handle the extremely long oars pitched at a steep angle and still produce any power. The chances are that the term 'oar' had become synonymous with 'rower' and that the lowest bank had more than one man per oar. The other option was to go back to a double row of oars, with two men apiece. Two banks of oars would also have made for a cheaper construction task for each ship. Either way, the result was a ship that could rival the lighter trireme in speed, yet had more deck space for a large fighting contingent or artillery pieces.

Spearmen were the lifeblood of German tribal forces. Brought up on the traditions of feasting and raiding, they craved the opportunity to prove themselves against a worthy enemy. Having scant regard for the dangers that lay ahead, whipped into frenzy by chant and song, and armed with bone-tipped spears and javelins, the ferocity of their initial attack was both feared and renowned. The 'furor teutonicas', as it was labelled by the Romans, did not resemble the disorganised mass favoured by the Celts. Instead, the Germans attacked in ordered columns or in a wedge formation, known as the 'boarhead'.