An Elephantine Question
Posted on: 5/1/2012
An Elephantine Question
May used to bring us legions of the Red Army parading in Red Square. (oddly enough so named long before Lenin and his ilk ever were born but that is yet another story) But this May Lead Army has such a special treat to announce that the whole Red Army must be shoved aside to make room.
And, it might take that much room!! For we speak now of Elephants in warfare. When Alexander the Great set out to conquer anything and everything he went eastwards. He even could recommend things to us about Afghanistan for he marched through it conquering as he went east. When he crossed into India however he encountered types of troops which he and the West had never seen before. King Porus of India had a large and combative force of elephants. These were generally ridden upon by a few fighting men who rode astride the beast more or less. Nobility and commanders had a wooden box structure upon the elephant to fight from and to provide shelter and better footing...this was the Howda.
When Alexander's successors settled with Porus he was given back much of his territory in exchange for a payment of a large number of trained elephants. By this time the value of the Howda was established so all known successor elephants had towers upon their backs. These beasts mainly figure in the armies of the Selucid family based on Persia. However in Egypt the Ptolomies decided that they too needed this new wonder weapon which frightened horses and men and which might crack a hole in a mile long wall of pike phalanx. Luckily Egypt had access to the African elephants. These were either the northern variety or the ones from the tree forested areas to the south. Neither African elephant was as aggressive nor as large as the Indian fighting elephant but they were pressed into service. Indian Elephants were in use in many places demonstrating, if nothing else, that there was a lively arms trade even in those years. For Hannibal's best elephant was a single Indian which crossed the alps with him and lived the longest of those in his army in Italy. Pyrrus of Epiris invaded Italy with elephants of his own. The Roman officers told their men that these were merely 'Lucanian Cows' (Lucania was a local district involved) so the soldiers would not be as afraid.
However, when the successors and their families made war at the eastern end of the Mediterranean sea they commonly used elephants. And so, at the great battle of Raphia, 217 BC elephants even faced off against each other!! Polybus wrote of this confrontation,
"The soldiers in the towers made a fine fight of it, jousting with their pikes and stabbing at each other, but the beasts themselves fought still batter, battling with all their strength and butting at each other with their foreheads." (Quoted from Duncan Head, Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars, WRG publishers, 1982)
May used to bring us legions of the Red Army parading in Red Square. (oddly enough so named long before Lenin and his ilk ever were born but that is yet another story) But this May Lead Army has such a special treat to announce that the whole Red Army must be shoved aside to make room.
And, it might take that much room!! For we speak now of Elephants in warfare. When Alexander the Great set out to conquer anything and everything he went eastwards. He even could recommend things to us about Afghanistan for he marched through it conquering as he went east. When he crossed into India however he encountered types of troops which he and the West had never seen before. King Porus of India had a large and combative force of elephants. These were generally ridden upon by a few fighting men who rode astride the beast more or less. Nobility and commanders had a wooden box structure upon the elephant to fight from and to provide shelter and better footing...this was the Howda.
When Alexander's successors settled with Porus he was given back much of his territory in exchange for a payment of a large number of trained elephants. By this time the value of the Howda was established so all known successor elephants had towers upon their backs. These beasts mainly figure in the armies of the Selucid family based on Persia. However in Egypt the Ptolomies decided that they too needed this new wonder weapon which frightened horses and men and which might crack a hole in a mile long wall of pike phalanx. Luckily Egypt had access to the African elephants. These were either the northern variety or the ones from the tree forested areas to the south. Neither African elephant was as aggressive nor as large as the Indian fighting elephant but they were pressed into service. Indian Elephants were in use in many places demonstrating, if nothing else, that there was a lively arms trade even in those years. For Hannibal's best elephant was a single Indian which crossed the alps with him and lived the longest of those in his army in Italy. Pyrrus of Epiris invaded Italy with elephants of his own. The Roman officers told their men that these were merely 'Lucanian Cows' (Lucania was a local district involved) so the soldiers would not be as afraid.
However, when the successors and their families made war at the eastern end of the Mediterranean sea they commonly used elephants. And so, at the great battle of Raphia, 217 BC elephants even faced off against each other!! Polybus wrote of this confrontation,
"The soldiers in the towers made a fine fight of it, jousting with their pikes and stabbing at each other, but the beasts themselves fought still batter, battling with all their strength and butting at each other with their foreheads." (Quoted from Duncan Head, Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars, WRG publishers, 1982)
Is there a miniature April Fool?
Posted on: 4/1/2012
Is there a miniature April Fool?
Actually there is!! Once again it is the Romans who we have to thank for the custom. As you may know, March 1st was Roman New Year's. It makes sense with the coming of Spring to start the year off with a forward leaning season. Now many of you, like me, have at some time in your life written a letter, document, check or similar writing and then dated it with the prior year or month. This happens a lot in January when you are paying bills quickly and date them with the last year which had become a habit of sorts.
Well, the Romans did the same sorts of things. So during all of March it was socially acceptable to write the previous or wrong date on your document. But, when an entire month had gone by. By April 1st if you made the mistake then.... You were an APRIL FOOL. So, the little tricks and such we see at the start of April have their roots going way way back into civilized history.
So, what about Friday the 13th? Well, this relates to the Middle Ages. The Knights Templar were a Crusading order which was created after the capture of Jerusalem by the 1st Crusade. The Templars were in most of the major battles thereafter until the Islamic reconquest of the area. They were present in all European kingdoms and on the battle front in those resisting the advance of Islamic conquest. As such they had strongholds strategically located over a huge geographic area. This also just happened to be an excellent foundation for rudimentary banking. You could deposit money with one Templar stronghold and reclaim it at another a thousand or more miles away. And, when handling vast sums of money as they eventually did, the Templars were able to begin lending money as well.
This then got them into trouble. Several major monarchs owed vast sums to the Order. The most indebted was the King of France. The King decided he needed to be rid of this troublesome Order. Of course if they were wiped out it also meant that the huge debt wouldn't have to be repaid either. But how to do it? This was an era without radio, television, phones or even hielographic communication. If the Templars got word that a purge were going on they might be able to escape, to seal off their strongholds, or otherwise survive. So, the plan was that sealed orders to sequester and eliminate Templars were sent out in secret. These were to be opened and acted upon on Friday the 13th, October 1307 the King struck simultaneously at many Templar strongholds seizing both Templars and their assets. They were then tried and virtually exterminated. A very very "unlucky" result for Friday the 13th!! Which thereafter carried the taint of being an unlucky day.
As it happens Lead Army has both Roman Senators and soldiers all capable of being April Fools and knights Templar who can display the best attributes of the Order at it's height. Not only are these miniatures beautiful pieces of Art for your home or office, but they are also a memory aide to help you recount interesting and useful history associated with the individuals depicted. We here at Lead Army invite you to take a little art tour of our Roman and Medieval sections and see those who added color to the days of April, 2012.
Actually there is!! Once again it is the Romans who we have to thank for the custom. As you may know, March 1st was Roman New Year's. It makes sense with the coming of Spring to start the year off with a forward leaning season. Now many of you, like me, have at some time in your life written a letter, document, check or similar writing and then dated it with the prior year or month. This happens a lot in January when you are paying bills quickly and date them with the last year which had become a habit of sorts.
Well, the Romans did the same sorts of things. So during all of March it was socially acceptable to write the previous or wrong date on your document. But, when an entire month had gone by. By April 1st if you made the mistake then.... You were an APRIL FOOL. So, the little tricks and such we see at the start of April have their roots going way way back into civilized history.
So, what about Friday the 13th? Well, this relates to the Middle Ages. The Knights Templar were a Crusading order which was created after the capture of Jerusalem by the 1st Crusade. The Templars were in most of the major battles thereafter until the Islamic reconquest of the area. They were present in all European kingdoms and on the battle front in those resisting the advance of Islamic conquest. As such they had strongholds strategically located over a huge geographic area. This also just happened to be an excellent foundation for rudimentary banking. You could deposit money with one Templar stronghold and reclaim it at another a thousand or more miles away. And, when handling vast sums of money as they eventually did, the Templars were able to begin lending money as well.
This then got them into trouble. Several major monarchs owed vast sums to the Order. The most indebted was the King of France. The King decided he needed to be rid of this troublesome Order. Of course if they were wiped out it also meant that the huge debt wouldn't have to be repaid either. But how to do it? This was an era without radio, television, phones or even hielographic communication. If the Templars got word that a purge were going on they might be able to escape, to seal off their strongholds, or otherwise survive. So, the plan was that sealed orders to sequester and eliminate Templars were sent out in secret. These were to be opened and acted upon on Friday the 13th, October 1307 the King struck simultaneously at many Templar strongholds seizing both Templars and their assets. They were then tried and virtually exterminated. A very very "unlucky" result for Friday the 13th!! Which thereafter carried the taint of being an unlucky day.
As it happens Lead Army has both Roman Senators and soldiers all capable of being April Fools and knights Templar who can display the best attributes of the Order at it's height. Not only are these miniatures beautiful pieces of Art for your home or office, but they are also a memory aide to help you recount interesting and useful history associated with the individuals depicted. We here at Lead Army invite you to take a little art tour of our Roman and Medieval sections and see those who added color to the days of April, 2012.
