Thank You TWC!

[rez]

I have recently been given some very good news and I wanted to share it with TWC not (solely ) out of vanity but because I sincerely believe that TWC is one of the main reasons I have been able to achieve this goal.

This September I begin work on my P.h.D Thesis entitled "The Achaemenids At War." I hope to re-examine and re-assess both the engagements and disposition of the Persian forces but the central theme will be how the army of Cyrus the great evolved into the military of Darius III. I can post the research proposal here if people are interested.

What I really wanted to say was that without the years of debate as well as reading and learning from others here at TWC I genuinely don't believe I would have developed my technique or ideas to anywhere near the level I am at now. There are a lot of people that make what the VV it is and I am still suprised today by the level of detailed analysis in debates displayed on a videogame fansite. Other, more historically orientated sites, have still yet to offer me anything like the quality of discussion I have found here with so many people, who perhaps without realising it, have been teaching me the proper historical method since I was a teenager.

It is now, on the eve of the creation of an elite, quality discussion forum within the VV, that I think we can take our level, and I daresay our reputation as a site, for historical ability to new heights. I am very excited by the prospect of such a new age and I hope the rest of the citizenry are with me on that.

I shan't name names for fear of forgetting people but I thank TWC and all its forums, modding and Community, for it has been from every corner of TWC that I have been given such lessons.

To put it another way - You guys are

[Senno]

That's wonderful news, Rez. Congrats.

[jimkatalanos]

I can post the research proposal here if people are interested.

Please do.

[Katsumoto]

It was my pleasure.



Just kidding, I didn't do squat. Good luck with the thesis mate.

[Legio]

Damn man, that's some great stuff. <3

[Harry Lime]

Well done, mate.

Garb will of course be expecting an increased subscription now you've become an intellectual colossus due to TWC's 5-Year Plan.

[Jom]

That's awesome and just inspires me to keep on posting here, which may not be good news for many people.

Best of luck on your PhD; I hope you get plenty of research grants for it.

[karamazovmm]

great keep the knowledge coming!

[Belisarius]

You are win Rez, I still remember posting your Rise of Persia announcements

[Romanos IV]

Congratulations mate, please do post your research, I'm really interested!

[rez]

Thanks guys! I still remember trying to convince the Rome Total Realism team of my whackjob Parthian theories when I first got here

Heres the research outline -

Proposed Research Title: The Achaemenids At War

The Persian army began as a coalition of Iranian tribes brought together under the banner of a single charismatic chieftain but it evolved into the most complex military institution of its day and continued to develop with the challenges that it faced. A thorough analysis of the army as it began through to the reforms and adaptations that were required of it will lead to a better understanding of the military as a whole but will also enable a superior re-assessment of the Achaemenid Empire’s major engagements.

The Achaemenid military has often been the subject of discussion with relation to the engagements and campaigns that were undertaken against and involving the Greeks. However there is comparably sparse literature written on purely the Achaemenid army in its own right or in involvement with other, non-Greek, foreign powers. I intend to explore the conquests of Cyrus II and Cambyses II to identify what we can of the early Persian army but also to highlight the military capabilities of the Babylonians, Lydians and Egyptians. Can the often repeated criticism of the Persian army’s inability to deal with heavy infantry can be challenged by an examination of the multiple early Persian victories over armies fielding heavy infantry and even hoplites at Pelusium, Opis and the stalemate at Pteria?

By establishing, as much as is possible, what the armies of Cyrus and Cambyses consisted of can we then determine to what extent Darius I reformed the Persian military? Can a detailed analysis of the Behistun inscription in conjunction with the Babylonian and Greek literature reveal important information about Achaemenid military doctrine or even the supposed Athanatoi? I intend to focus heavily on the reign of Darius I as he can be considered the father of the professionalised Persian army. An examination of the Hatru system of rewarding military service with land as well as an analysis of the system of training and equipping of both soldiers and officers will be required to elucidate the idea of an extensively organised Persian military. An overview of the Hatru has been covered in the past by Briant (1989) but it is important to look at the filtration of retired soldiers back into society within the wider context of their recruitment, training and deployment in order to gain a full picture of the Persian soldier’s duty. It is also essential to consider exactly how widespread this training and reward scheme was extended. Could non-Persians expect military training or equipment from the state? What band of Persian society could afford to send their sons away for many years at a time? Lastly, I will examine the reliefs at Persepolis for information regarding the structure and hierarchy of the Achaemenid military.

The engagements of Darius’ reign can reveal a great deal about the capabilities of the Persian military but to what extent can these achievements or failures be ascribed to the leadership of Darius himself? The Ionian revolt will be an important case study in determining the combat effectiveness of Persian armies against massed, Greek heavy-infantry. A detailed re-examination of the expeditions to the Greek mainland with the context of previous Persian engagements in mind will be essential to better understand the Achaemenid military. With this re-assessment of the Persian military what new conclusions can be reached about the campaign of Marathon and the expedition of Xerxes? Moreover, is it possible that a conquest of Greece was ever even the objective of Xerxes?

I intend to give the disastrous failure of Xerxes’ campaign the due treatment it deserves and examine what sort of effect the annihilation of at least an entire regiment of the King’s finest had on the development of the Persian army. The idea that this was the last time we hear of the Persian shielded archer formation has not been fully explored nor has the idea of a decline in the Persian infantry tradition after the reign of Xerxes. It will also be important to examine the Athenian offensives following their rise to power and the decision not to mount another attempt to attack Greece.

I intend to look at the idea of a reliance upon the Persian cavalry tradition and the feudal obligations required to raise a satrapal army, the relative forces and strengths of the western satrapies and an analysis of the Persian Empire’s involvement in the Peloponnesian war. I wish to particularly focus on the military aid provided to the Spartans as well as that of the financial which is the traditional role assigned to the Persians. Another key question will be how far was the policy of playing Athens and Sparta off against one another a policy of the Persian high command? A detailed analysis of the rebellion of Cyrus III, including a tactical re-assessment of Cunaxa, and the following war with Sparta will illuminate the adaptations the Persian army had undertaken as well as highlighting the problems of relying upon Royal reinforcement. A study of the campaign of Aegisilaus will be exceedingly helpful in determining the strength and disposition of Persian forces at this time along with a look at the situation that had developed with the Egyptian rebellion and the Satrap’s revolt. Another critical campaign to highlight will be the Aegean counter-offensive undertaken by Pharnabazus and Conon against the Spartans. I intend to always relate the new developments of the Persian army to the events that shaped these decisions and thus illustrate a plotted evolution of the military.

Finally it will be necessary to examine the Egyptian campaign of Artaxerxes III and the military situation in Asia Minor in order to elucidate the state of the Achaemenid military at the accession of Darius III. Using Greek and Babylonian literary evidence as well as artistic representations of the Achaemenids it will be possible to reconstruct the forces of Darius III as well as their numbers, dispositions and use in battle. At this point a discussion on the supposed ascendancy of mercenary Greek hoplites within the Persian Empire will be appropriate in order to counter the claim that they dominated the Achaemenid army’s affairs. I intend to utilise this appraisal of the late Achaemenid army to identify both the grand strategy of Darius III and the tactical decisions made in the engagements both by the King and his subordinates. I hope to illustrate the developments and reforms the Achaemenid leadership undertook in reaction to the increasing problems they faced. I hope to conclusively show how their initiatives and innovations prove that the Persian Empire maintained an effective fighting force throughout its lifetime.

[Viking Prince]

Good luck. I know quite a bit of hard work remains, but getting the proposal accepted is a huge event.

A part of me is jealous. Ah youth!

[MCM]

I am sure the old RTR salutes you
because I salute you! Researchers are the salt of the earth
but man,the next four years of your life are gonna be very busy....

Good luck!

[Timoleon of Korinthos]

The Achaemenid military has often been the subject of discussion with relation to the engagements and campaigns that were undertaken against and involving the Greeks. However there is comparably sparse literature written on purely the Achaemenid army in its own right or in involvement with other, non-Greek, foreign powers. I intend to explore the conquests of Cyrus II and Cambyses II to identify what we can of the early Persian army but also to highlight the military capabilities of the Babylonians, Lydians and Egyptians. Can the often repeated criticism of the Persian army’s inability to deal with heavy infantry can be challenged by an examination of the multiple early Persian victories over armies fielding heavy infantry and even hoplites at Pelusium, Opis and the stalemate at Pteria?

I was re-reading my H recently and a couple of things I barely remembered flashed back to life:
1) Battle of Ephesus in 498BC: the Greek heavy infantry including Athenians and Eretrians get their ass handed over to them by the regional cavalry contingents of the satrapies of Asia Minor.
2) Battle of Salamis (the Cyrpiot one) in 497BC: decisive defeat of the Cypriots
3) Twin battles of river Menander in 497BC: The Carians suffer two consecutive massive defeats, the second one despite the aid of Miletus. It is worth noting that the Carians had long been assimiliated into hoplite warfare, both in terms of armament and pressumably tactics.
4) Battle of Malene in 493BC: Histiaeus' mixed Aeolian/Ionian force gets scattered

My two cents: the parameter of tactics in the battles that Greeks won has been greatly overlooked in favour of projection of some sort of truism on superiority of heavy infantry -V.D. Hanson exemplifying this school of thought-, rooted in the ever-present stereotypes of classical Greek literature, but with this shift of morale arising after the Greco-Persian wars, whose outcome was pretty much defined by a naval engagement. The cherry on top being in my view Alexander's battleplans, which is highly doubtful if any other Greek/Macedonian commander could have ever come close to conceiving.

And rez, good luck!

[rez]

There's a lot to be said for what you've mentioned and I am massively excited to add to those examples and put them in a greater context for a really inspiring set of conclusions!

No doubt I'll be sharing my thoughts and improving them with you and everyone else in our great environment here!

I genuinely cannot overvalue the extent to which I will be enjoying and using the opinions of people such as yourself in the years to come.

It's going to be real.





Edit: For Conon and Signifer - I aim to highlight the idea that the mainland Greek hoplite phalanx was much more than a formation of massed heavy infantry.

[Noble Savage]

And thank you Rez. I remember reading one of your projects on Ana one day then started to follow you in the VV and before I knew where I was I had signed up for an OU course on classical history .

Your offer of advice and reading material were invaluable in my second year.For that you will have my eternal gratitude.

Your outline is so mouthwatering I can't wait to see your finished Thesis .

Good luck even though you will never need it.

[Zadig]

Good luck with that man, looks good for the moment.

[rez]

And thank you Rez. I remember reading one of your projects on Ana one day then started to follow you in the VV and before I knew where I was I had signed up for an OU course on classical history .

Your offer of advice and reading material were invaluable in my second year.For that you will have my eternal gratitude.

Your outline is so mouthwatering I can't wait to see your finished Thesis .

Good luck even though you will never need it.

Thats awesome, buddy. Are you in your final year now or have you already finished? Do you know what your dissertation will be on?

[Каие]

If you were really thankful rez, you'd give us money.

[Noble Savage]

Thats awesome, buddy. Are you in your final year now or have you already finished? Do you know what your dissertation will be on?

Taken a break after second year, sometimes I'm thankful that I'm only an OU student. Second year was tough going even though I completed it. Work ,family and studying left no room for fun with the kids.

Will go back in January.