I was making a game design document for a game that is based off of the First and Second Punic Wars, basically I was summing up how each battle would go, and I had reached the Siege of Agrigentum.
I thought it was a fascinating battle, but I can't wrap my mind about this last part:
Hannibal (not Barca) fled the city of Agrigentum by filling the Roman trenches with straw while they were in a euphoria over their previous victories against his son Hanno, and another Carthiginian force.
How did filling the trenches with straw help him escape? What were the use of trenches at that time? Up until now I always thought trenches were just for providing cover in a gun fight.
Other than for aqueducts, how could trenches have aided the Romans in battle, and how could it have aided them so much so that disabling it's use allowed for their forces to be evaded?
ID:224499
 Jan 29 2012, 4:04 pm
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but the thing about the archers is that they could do a volley and it would rain from above. And I assume the trenches were within range of archers, only because the camp and the trenches were probably separate, and the trenches were a utility used in their advance.
EDIT: But yeah, I can see the application of a trench when you're in the modern military, the only use I could see for tenches (at all) are for cover from projectiles, or for building | |
Today, trenches are dug to the tallest man's armpit. This makes it hard for shorter men to see over the trench.
Actually, using a trench as a Forward Operating Base can be quite advantageous. This allows for a better consolidation of your troops in smaller units such as companies or platoons, allowing for a smaller number of roaming guards and more soldiers asleep. | |
Wikipedia claims these were only temporary fortifications for overnight.
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Works well with my claim =D
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All I know about trenches is that people got foot diseases running through them during some war.
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Trenchfoot is a condition that was recognized in WW1 from dampness in the boots. It causes microbial growth and can cause serious infections and degradation of the foot tissues. Best way to address it is dry socks.
Trenches have a long history in warfare. They are simple fortifications, usually with a raised portion (from digging the trench) facing the front. They act to obscure visibility (making assessment of forces and movement harder) and offer protection from missile fire. They also slow charges and can be further reinforced with stakes to hinder cavalry further. Since they channel movement, they can offer significant strategic advantages. They can also be used to branch tunnels toward fortifications for undermining. | |
I'm not sure. All I know is what we use trenches for today. I've dug quite a few in my military career, through field events of course. We didn't dig in the desert of Iraq haha