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Phoulkon

The phoulkon (Greek: φοῦλκον), in Latin fulcum, was an infantry formation utilized by the military of the late Roman and Byzantine Empire. It is a formation in which an infantry formation closes ranks and the first two or three lines form a shield wall while those behind them hurl projectiles. It was used in both offensive and defensive stances.[1]

Etymology

The term phoulkon is first attested to in the Strategikon of Maurice,[2] a military manual written in the 590s. Written in Greek, the author of the Strategikon "also frequently employed Latin and other terms which have been in common military use", as Latin continued to be the language of the army at that time.[3] Therefore, the word, like other military terminology found in the manual, is likely a Greek transliteration of the Latin word *fulcum, though this Latin term is not attested to in any surviving texts.[4] The only other early Byzantine author to use the term was Theophanes the Confessor, who describes Rhazates arranging his troops in three phoulka when facing Heraclius's army at the Battle of Nineveh (627).[5] Later Byzantine writings, such as De velitatione bellica and Praecepta Militaria, describe keeping a portion of troops, either cavalry or infantry, in phoulka to serve as guard while the rest of the army dispersed for pillaging or foraging. These later usages appear to have evolved to simply mean a "battle formation", rather than Maurice's specific description of a shield wall tactic.[6]

No consensus exists on the etymology of phoulkon. One proposal derives it from the word furca, a fork, to describe a body of troops arranged in a wedge shape. Another proposal derives the term from a Germanic word describing a body of troops; similar terms are found in the Germanic languages, including Old English folc ("host, army"; cf. gefylce "troop, division"), Old Saxon folc ("troop, division"), and Old Norse fólk ("people, host, troop"), fylki ("array, formation").[7] Germanic soldiers were attested to in the Late Roman army, recruited either directly into the army or serving as allied foederati.[citation needed]

Ancient Greek "εφελκίς", "εφέλκιον" (efelkis, efelkion), scab of a sore, the protective crust formed over a wound, word used also to describe a defensive shield formation. From "επί" (epi), "on" + "έλκος" (elkos), "wound", latinicized as: "fulcum".[8][9]

Formation

The Strategikon describes the phoulkon as a close-order infantry formation. Before close contact with the enemy and just outside of archery range, the command "ad fulco" (αδ φουλκω) would be issued, and infantry were to close ranks and form a shield wall from the first two lines.[10] As they advanced, light infantry from the rear would shoot arrows at the enemy while the heavy infantry could hurl martiobarbuli darts or throw their spears before closing in to engage in hand-to-hand combat with the spatha sword.[11] If faced with enemy cavalry, the first three ranks of the phoulkon would form a shield wall and thrust their spears outwards while fixing the ends to the ground, while the third and rear ranks would hurl projectiles and the light infantry shoot arrows.[12]

Though only the Strategikon explicitly describes this formation as a phoulkon, such tactics appear to have been established Roman practice. Compare the description of the Strategikon with earlier accounts:

If the enemy [cavalry], coming within a bow shot, attempts to break or dislodge the phalanx ... then the infantry close up in the regular manner. And the first, second and third man in each file are to form themselves into a phoulkon, that is, one shield upon another, and having thrust their spears straight forward beyond their shields, fix them firmly in the ground ... They also lean their shoulders and put their weight against their shields so that they might easily endure the pressure from those outside. The third man, standing more upright, and the fourth, holding their spears like javelins either stab those coming close or hurl them and draw their swords.[13]

— Strategikon

An almost identical tactic is described centuries earlier, for use against the Alans:

If [the enemy cavalry] do approach, the first three ranks, closing their shields together and exerting pressure with their shoulders, should receive the attack as steadfastly as possible and locking together very closely, pressing themselves together as firmly as they are able. The fourth rank should throw javelins overhead, while the third rank should strike with their spears or throw them like javelins unstintingly at both horses and riders.[14]

— Arrian, Ektaxis kata Alanon

Descriptions of both shield walls used in attack and as an anti-cavalry formation with spears fixed into the ground exist throughout Roman history, though non-military writers tended to use classical vocabulary in describing such formations as a testudo, its Greek translation chelone (χελώνη), or a phalanx.[15] However, these descriptions referred to the use of shield walls in battle, as opposed to the classical testudo formation used in siege warfare.[16] Examples include the Battle of Callinicum, where a small group of Byzantine infantry and dismounted cavalry in the rearguard formed a shield wall that held off Persian archery and cavalry charges, and the Battle of Taginae, where a small group of fifty Byzantine soldiers seized a hill and formed into a "phalanx" that held off repeated Ostrogothic cavalry charges with their shield wall and grounded spears.[17]

See also

Citations

  1. ^ Rance (2004) pp. 271–280
  2. ^ Rance (2004) p. 280
  3. ^ Rance (2004) p. 267
  4. ^ Rance (2004) p. 286
  5. ^ Rance (2004) pp. 310–311
  6. ^ Rance (2004) pp. 321–324
  7. ^ Rance (2004) pp. 287–289
  8. ^ Morphologia Graeka, https://morphological_el.enacademic.com/811467/ἐφελκίδων
  9. ^ Julius Pollux, Onomasticon cum annotationibus interpretum, Volume 4, https://books.google.gr/books?id=1V5NAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA872&lpg=PA872&dq=εφελκίς&source=bl&ots=OJ4uM3peT6&sig=ACfU3U3KySB6QVqyRgi8LwyRNoJxnhMG5g&hl=el&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjc8cGk-evrAhWQQhUIHeO_BV44ChDoATABegQIAxAB#v=onepage&q=εφελκίς&f=false
  10. ^ Rance (2004) pp. 271–272
  11. ^ Rance (2004) pp. 274–275
  12. ^ Rance (2004) pp. 276–280
  13. ^ Rance (2004) p. 297
  14. ^ Rance (2004) p. 296
  15. ^ Rance (2004) pp. 297–301
  16. ^ Rance (2004) p. 303
  17. ^ Rance (2004) pp. 281–282

General bibliography

  • Rance, Philip (2004). "The Fulcum, the Late Roman and Byzantine Testudo: The Germanization of Roman Infantry Tactics?". Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies. 44: 265–326.

phoulkon, this, article, relies, largely, entirely, single, source, relevant, discussion, found, talk, page, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, citations, additional, sources, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, november, 20. This article relies largely or entirely on a single source Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources Find sources Phoulkon news newspapers books scholar JSTOR November 2019 The phoulkon Greek foῦlkon in Latin fulcum was an infantry formation utilized by the military of the late Roman and Byzantine Empire It is a formation in which an infantry formation closes ranks and the first two or three lines form a shield wall while those behind them hurl projectiles It was used in both offensive and defensive stances 1 Contents 1 Etymology 2 Formation 3 See also 4 Citations 5 General bibliographyEtymology EditThe term phoulkon is first attested to in the Strategikon of Maurice 2 a military manual written in the 590s Written in Greek the author of the Strategikon also frequently employed Latin and other terms which have been in common military use as Latin continued to be the language of the army at that time 3 Therefore the word like other military terminology found in the manual is likely a Greek transliteration of the Latin word fulcum though this Latin term is not attested to in any surviving texts 4 The only other early Byzantine author to use the term was Theophanes the Confessor who describes Rhazates arranging his troops in three phoulka when facing Heraclius s army at the Battle of Nineveh 627 5 Later Byzantine writings such as De velitatione bellica and Praecepta Militaria describe keeping a portion of troops either cavalry or infantry in phoulka to serve as guard while the rest of the army dispersed for pillaging or foraging These later usages appear to have evolved to simply mean a battle formation rather than Maurice s specific description of a shield wall tactic 6 No consensus exists on the etymology of phoulkon One proposal derives it from the word furca a fork to describe a body of troops arranged in a wedge shape Another proposal derives the term from a Germanic word describing a body of troops similar terms are found in the Germanic languages including Old English folc host army cf gefylce troop division Old Saxon folc troop division and Old Norse folk people host troop fylki array formation 7 Germanic soldiers were attested to in the Late Roman army recruited either directly into the army or serving as allied foederati citation needed Ancient Greek efelkis efelkion efelkis efelkion scab of a sore the protective crust formed over a wound word used also to describe a defensive shield formation From epi epi on elkos elkos wound latinicized as fulcum 8 9 Formation EditThe Strategikon describes the phoulkon as a close order infantry formation Before close contact with the enemy and just outside of archery range the command ad fulco ad foylkw would be issued and infantry were to close ranks and form a shield wall from the first two lines 10 As they advanced light infantry from the rear would shoot arrows at the enemy while the heavy infantry could hurl martiobarbuli darts or throw their spears before closing in to engage in hand to hand combat with the spatha sword 11 If faced with enemy cavalry the first three ranks of the phoulkon would form a shield wall and thrust their spears outwards while fixing the ends to the ground while the third and rear ranks would hurl projectiles and the light infantry shoot arrows 12 Though only the Strategikon explicitly describes this formation as a phoulkon such tactics appear to have been established Roman practice Compare the description of the Strategikon with earlier accounts If the enemy cavalry coming within a bow shot attempts to break or dislodge the phalanx then the infantry close up in the regular manner And the first second and third man in each file are to form themselves into a phoulkon that is one shield upon another and having thrust their spears straight forward beyond their shields fix them firmly in the ground They also lean their shoulders and put their weight against their shields so that they might easily endure the pressure from those outside The third man standing more upright and the fourth holding their spears like javelins either stab those coming close or hurl them and draw their swords 13 Strategikon An almost identical tactic is described centuries earlier for use against the Alans If the enemy cavalry do approach the first three ranks closing their shields together and exerting pressure with their shoulders should receive the attack as steadfastly as possible and locking together very closely pressing themselves together as firmly as they are able The fourth rank should throw javelins overhead while the third rank should strike with their spears or throw them like javelins unstintingly at both horses and riders 14 Arrian Ektaxis kata Alanon Descriptions of both shield walls used in attack and as an anti cavalry formation with spears fixed into the ground exist throughout Roman history though non military writers tended to use classical vocabulary in describing such formations as a testudo its Greek translation chelone xelwnh or a phalanx 15 However these descriptions referred to the use of shield walls in battle as opposed to the classical testudo formation used in siege warfare 16 Examples include the Battle of Callinicum where a small group of Byzantine infantry and dismounted cavalry in the rearguard formed a shield wall that held off Persian archery and cavalry charges and the Battle of Taginae where a small group of fifty Byzantine soldiers seized a hill and formed into a phalanx that held off repeated Ostrogothic cavalry charges with their shield wall and grounded spears 17 See also EditByzantine battle tactics Testudo formation Pike and shotCitations Edit Rance 2004 pp 271 280 Rance 2004 p 280 Rance 2004 p 267 Rance 2004 p 286 Rance 2004 pp 310 311 Rance 2004 pp 321 324 Rance 2004 pp 287 289 Morphologia Graeka https morphological el enacademic com 811467 ἐfelkidwn Julius Pollux Onomasticon cum annotationibus interpretum Volume 4 https books google gr books id 1V5NAAAAcAAJ amp pg PA872 amp lpg PA872 amp dq efelkis amp source bl amp ots OJ4uM3peT6 amp sig ACfU3U3KySB6QVqyRgi8LwyRNoJxnhMG5g amp hl el amp sa X amp ved 2ahUKEwjc8cGk evrAhWQQhUIHeO BV44ChDoATABegQIAxAB v onepage amp q efelkis amp f false Rance 2004 pp 271 272 Rance 2004 pp 274 275 Rance 2004 pp 276 280 Rance 2004 p 297 Rance 2004 p 296 Rance 2004 pp 297 301 Rance 2004 p 303 Rance 2004 pp 281 282General bibliography EditRance Philip 2004 The Fulcum the Late Roman and Byzantine Testudo The Germanization of Roman Infantry Tactics Greek Roman and Byzantine Studies 44 265 326 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Phoulkon amp oldid 1075098831, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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