presentation iwa xrubio-libre

8/11/2019 Presentation Iwa Xrubio-libre

1/37

1

Mars attacks!

The role of the centurion in the Roman legion: a computer simulation of combat tactics

Xavier Rubio-Campillo1, Pau Valds, !duard "le

1# "arcelona $upercomputing Centre

# %niversitat de "arcelona

&nternational 'ncient (arfare Conference )1*, 'ber+st+th


2/37

$ummar+

%nderstanding roman tacticsThe role of the centurion

Research uestions

The model

!.periments and results

Concluding remar/s


3/37

'll te.t and image content in this document is licensed under the Creative Commons 'ttribution-$hare 'li/e 0#) icense2unless otherise specified3# 4ibre5ffice4 and 4The 6ocument 7oundation4 are registered trademar/s# Their respective logosand icons are sub8ect to international cop+right las# The use of these therefore is sub8ect to the trademar/ polic+#

0

%nderstanding Roman tactics
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/TradeMark_Policyhttp://wiki.documentfoundation.org/TradeMark_Policyhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/


4/37

9odels of roman combat

Classicalmodels at unit level:e.change beteen lines

tactical movements in battle

...vs...

9odels based on archaeologicaldataeapons single combat collective combat

technological determinism


5/37

The face of battle

Keegan;s Face of battle 213

psichological factor

individual point of vie

Hanson;s Western way of war 21


6/37

The face of Romanbattle

Goldsworthy;s model

legionaries tr+ tosurvive, not to /ill

close combat: lessthan 1A-) min

Zhmodikov;s model&mportance ofthroing eapons inbattle


7/37

The face of Romanbattle

Sabins+nthetic model comprises:length of the combat

uneual number of casualties

mobilit+ of the fronts

the role of the rear ran/s

short close combat clasheslead b+ aggressivesoldiers 2centurionsB3

Long moments of stalemateith separated fronts2safe position3 hen the e.change pro8ectiles ta/esplace


8/37

?

The role of the centurion


9/37

Centurions in te.tual sources

Pol+bius 2&& "C3

5bedience

6iscipline'ristocratic ideal


10/37

' ne ope: Caesar 2& "C3

Change in their role and representation:

virtus, animvsand fortitvdo

9ore importance in the narration#

7avorable treatment

The+ assume the old aristocratic ideal of the performance in

battle#Conflict beteen disciplinaDvirtus#


11/37

CaesarEs problems

Virtusdoesn;t influence battle

Caesar as the main figure in battle#

Virtusithout consiliuminefficient#

Fegative characteriGation:

Cosidius

'riovistus


12/37

1

Research uestions


13/37

Huestions 2&3: h+ do +ou need deep formationsB

@oldsorth+most common 0 or * ran/s

also multiples of > and ? 2$abin3

(heeler

usuall+ ? ran/s 2Connoll+, Coan, ###3increased to 1 or 1> hen fighting cavalr+

but###what is the fnction of the last ranks of a nit

9ore cohesionB$upport frontlineB

Refresh troopsB


14/37

Huestions 2&&3: here are m+ centurionsB

9ost accepted 2Connoll+, @oldsorth+, etc#3far rightof the front line

Coan

center of the front line

but###why were they located in these "ositions

as it fossiliGed trait, legac+ of ellenistic arfareB

did it matterB


15/37

Huestions 2&&&3: The role of the centurion

#hy were they so im"ortant

6iscussion disciplinaDvirtus# The+ ere###

$ cohesion factorPreventing unit rupture and flight

%he deadliest warrioreading the charges, forcing the rest to follo


16/37


1>

The model


17/37

7rom micro behavior to macro d+namics

(e ant to e.plore the importance of the centurion in grandtactics

in/ing to scales of hman behavior is a challengebecause e need to:

6efine a behavior at the individual scale

!.plore the aggregated effects at a collective scale


18/37

These t+pe of phenomena, hich are constant in an+ /indof human interaction 2including ar3 are defined asemergent "rocesses#

$gent&'ased Models 2'"9s3 are a t+pe of computersimulation suited for e.ploring emergence:

2a3 !ach individual entit+ is defined as an agent#

2b3 !ach agent is defined ith a internal state andbehavior

2c3 Time is measured as discrete steps#

$imulating emergence


19/37

(e ill simulate battles beteen formations ith thousandsof agents forming the front line of a legion 2* cohorts3###

###but e donEt ant to define global behaviorI

The model


20/37

'n e.ample
http://c/Users/mewnol7/Desktop/IAWC14/simulation/example2.mp4


21/37

Comple.it+ means non-determinism
http://c/Users/mewnol7/Desktop/IAWC14/simulation/mosaic.mp4


22/37

The face of the agent: approach

Lucius Vorenus is a virtual soldier, part of the second rank of theRed Legio. Today he is (again! inside a simulation facing thefamous "lue Legion.

#fter some seconds his line begins to advancetowards the enemy$when he is around 15 metersof the enemy he throws hispilum.


23/37

%e doesn&t know if he hit somebody$ he doesn&t see anything apartfrom the guys in the first rank. %e is getting stressedbecause aftertrying to breach the enemy they have to fall back some meters.

'ow they attack again, but suddenly the guy in front is killedbythe enemy. #ll the soldiers around him begin to collapse, includingLucius, but there is no way to retreat so he must staywhere he isand face the enemy.

The face of the agent: combat


24/37

The face of the agent: outcome

#fter some seconds the line has reordered$ suddenly onecenturion near him charges towards the enemy$ his energy iscontagiousand suddenly the entire centuria is charging.

Lucius kills a panicking soldier in front of him and this opens agap in the enemy line. The eds take advantage of thisopportunity and the enemy line begins to collapse$ victory


25/37

6efining Vorenus

!ach agent is defined ith:

$ide

$tress D $tress Threshold

ethalit+

7atigue

The onl+ difference beteen a Centurion and a egionar+ is

the $tress Threshold


26/37

Thin/ing

!ach time step Vorenusaverages his stress ith asoldier randoml+ pic/edfrom the ones he sees#

&n addition his an.iet+increases e.ponentiall+ asthe distance ith theenem+ line decreases#

is fatigue affects all hisactions


27/37

9ovement is lin/ed tothe relation beteenstress and threshold#

9oving

C b t


28/37

Combat

ethalit+ defines theprobabilit+ 2per mil3 ofinflicting a casualt+#

5nce this happenssoldiers near thevictim increase theirstress#

6 i i t


29/37

6esign e.periment

(e ant to e.plore:

Centurion stress threshold: from 1 to 2)#1 steps3

Ran/s: *,>,?

Centurion position 2random, 1st ran/, 1st right3


30/37

live#die#repeat###

l t


31/37

###a lot


32/37


0

6iscussion

&nterpreting the results 2&3: formation depth


33/37

&nterpreting the results 2&3: formation depth

&ncreasing the number of ran/s is critical hen centurions arenot s"ecially skilled#

6eplo+ing in smaller ran/s is better for "rofessional troo"s2J ider front attac/3#

&nterpreting the results 2&&3: position


34/37

&nterpreting the results 2&&3: position

Centurions randoml+ located improve the general cohesionof the unit, but###

###this unit is unable to charge the enem+#

There is no difference beteen centurions on the right orrandoml+ deplo+ed at first ran/

7ossiliGed cultural traitB

'dditional reasons###6eplo+ment maneuversB

7rontline controlB

&nterpreting the results 2&&&3: e.perience


35/37

&nterpreting the results 2&&&3: e.perience

High e("eriencedCenturions are more efficient brea/ing theenem+ lines#

Less e("eriencedCenturions have greater impact on troopscohesion#

!.perience in the Roman legion:

'fter = +ears it hasnEt reach its pea/ of performance#

ong service isnEt common in the Roman Republic#

!.ceptions:

ate Republic 2Civils (ars3

$pecific cases: The legions of Cannae#

7inal thoughts: an evolving arrior


36/37

7inal thoughts: an evolving arrior

Pol+bius:Centurion leads troops ith little e.perience#

Cohesion becomes decisive in the outcome of the battle#

CaesarTroops ith much more e.perience#

Their impact on battle lies in the charge against the enem+#

The role of the centurion evolved over time, as the t+pe oftroops determined the emphasis in one of the to aspects#


37/37


0=

Than/ +ouI

.avier#rubioKbsc#es

pauvm?*Khotmail#com

ebleKub#edu
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/TradeMark_Policymailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://wiki.documentfoundation.org/TradeMark_Policyhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

presentation iwa xrubio-libre

Documents