Quote:
Originally Posted by Stapo
I don't know whether it's the best location for it, but here's a map including Adrianople- the present Turkish city of Erdine- as it has the distinction of being the most fought over city in the world, Valens's (Roman Empire 378AD) fatal reverse being one of fiftheen major battles or sieges that have taken place there just in short of 1700 years.
Some argue that this battle was more fatal to the Roman empire than any other defeat it had suffered in it's long history and that near Adrianople the whole Barbarian invasion of the empire got it's momentum eventually at least to cripple the West Roman Empire.
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Well, I would not say that. The Avars and the Slavs ( Bulgars later) whom were offshoots of the Ostro-Goths whom settled there after the battle were soundly defeated by Justinian in the 500’s, by Heraclius again in the 600’s etc.
The real lesson and historical factor here was the eclipse of the here to fore arm of decsion, the branch upon which battles had been fought and decided byall national armies ( aside from the Parthians), the infantry.
The change to mounted forces as the arm of decision ala the Cataphract, Knights etc. was an event that changed the course of how armies were built and how they fought for centuries there after.
That 'verdict' of Adrianople was turned around at the battle of Crecy. Though there were other examples of infantry defeating armies based on cavalry forces, the battle of Tours for instance in the early 700’s, infantry really became predominant again after Crecy, and until this day.
3 Weeks Ago
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