The Celts beat the Romans in 396 BCE and that was the last time. After that the Romans dropped the phalanx style of warfare and went to the open style that continued to evolve up until the 3rd Cent. CE. It was during this period that the Roman legions became the best heavy infantry that the world has ever known, not my opinion alone, but that of many, many military commentators. The basic technique that they developed was to let the Celts start to charge down on them, then they would start a counter-charge, first throwing their heavy javelins (pila). These would either impale the Celtic warriors or their shields and then bend, causing the shield to be discarded, or would miss and bend upon landing, rendering the weapon unable to be thrown back. Meanwhile Gaius Legionary would draw his shortsword (gladius) and continue his charge to contact with the Celtic foe. When they collided, while the Celtic warrior was winding up and swinging his long slicing sword, Gaius would punch him with his shield (scutum), knocking him off balance, and stab up into his gut with the gladius, disembowling him. The Roman Legionaries despised the barbariens with their long swords, viewing them as meat on the table for well-trained troops. When the first line of Roman troops tired, they would pull back and be relieved by the second line, and so forth, a damned tricky maneuver while actively engaged in fighting. But this left the Celtic warriors, now tiring, facing constantly fresh troops. Is it any wonder that Suetonius Paulinus and his Legions slaughtered some 40,000-60,000 British Celts at the end of Boudicca's revolt with the loss of perhaps 40 of their own? Based on this history, much as I would like to see the independence minded Wallace win, I would place my money on a Maximus, presuming that he was equipped as were the troops at the beginning of the film and Wallace was armed in a fashion appropriate to his time and place, in a mail hauberk with long sleeves and mittens and leg protection, a great helm, a heater shield, and a war sword and/or battle axe.
BTW, this same basic method of using the shield to upset your opponent and then stabbing up with a short blade was developed independently by Shaka Zulu in the early 19th Century in South Africa with the hide shield and the iklwa (assegai), and that was the basis for the Zulu kingdom.
For those interested in reading more about the Roman military, try the following:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0806127945/ref=sim_books/002-2426106-2770457
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/185367303X/ref=sim_books/002-2426106-2770457
Of the two, the Warry book is the more basic, and the Connolly book is the more advanced. Both are great books and are wonderfully illustrated, showing the evolution of the equipment, weapons, and tactics of the Greeks and Romans.
------------------
Walk in the Light,
Hugh Fuller
BTW, this same basic method of using the shield to upset your opponent and then stabbing up with a short blade was developed independently by Shaka Zulu in the early 19th Century in South Africa with the hide shield and the iklwa (assegai), and that was the basis for the Zulu kingdom.
For those interested in reading more about the Roman military, try the following:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0806127945/ref=sim_books/002-2426106-2770457
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/185367303X/ref=sim_books/002-2426106-2770457
Of the two, the Warry book is the more basic, and the Connolly book is the more advanced. Both are great books and are wonderfully illustrated, showing the evolution of the equipment, weapons, and tactics of the Greeks and Romans.
------------------
Walk in the Light,
Hugh Fuller
