ABSTRACT
In Chapter 2 we dealt with the battle in terms of such general issues as strategy, tactics, manpower, and topography, while in Chapter 5 we concentrated on the duties and experiences of the opposing commanders at Cannae. This chapter aims to complement this by studying the battle on a more ‘intimate’ scale, considering the mechanics of battle and the physical and psychological realities of the battlefield. The ‘Keegan Model’, pioneered in The Face of Battle, is particularly useful for this, as in a manner conducive to systematic analysis, it divides the fighting up into several different stages, each characterised by specific types of combat. Since the Roman and Carthaginian armies were composed of a variety of troops, many of whom had distinctive styles of fighting, Chapters 3 and 4 analysed them in detail, with the intention of facilitating the application of the ‘Keegan Model’ to the study of Cannae.
