Infantry Tactics

Spanish troops with some experience, would usually form up in the standard manner. This was infantry in the center and cavalry on the wings, sometimes the latter were supported by javelin armed troops. As the infantry mass approached they would engage in chants and war dances while skirmishers engaged the enemy troops. Unfortunately, there is no record of these chants or dances, so it is left to the imagination whether these were individual dances by warriors as with Celts or 'formed' dances such as those used by the Zulu. This initial display would be followed by showers of javelins and a swift charge with the sword on a weakened enemy by the 'heavy' infantry. If the charge was stopped they would, unlike Celts, fight on stubbornly until victorious or defeated.

The Celtiberians fought differently than standard Iberian troops. These fighting men combined elements of both cultures in battle. Instead of an initial exchange of javelins, they would move up to the enemy, shower them with a volley of heavy javelins and launch a fierce charge. If this did not break an enemy, the Celtiberians would fall back, reform and charge in again. "...they (Celtiberians) were scarcely clear of therampart when the Romans discharged their javelins.

The Spaniards crouched to receive the volley, then rose to their feet to reply; the Romans received the volley, as their custom is, on their serried shields, and a hand to hand struggle began, Roman swords coming into action. The Celtiberians normally fight by a series ofrapid skirmishing attacks but their speed of movement was rendered useless by the rough and broken ground, a condition which was favorable to the Romans, who are trained in stand-up fighting, though it is true that in this case lack of room and patches of scrub broke the continuity of the ranks so that they were forced to engage singly, or in pairs, like Gladiators.

A Celtiberian close order warband composed of Scutarii led by their chieftain charge down a hill. Figures 15mm Essex. Painted by Joe Nacchio. Photo by SFP

The enemy, used to rapid movement, might have had chains on their legs: unable to run, they were butchered where they stood. The shield men (Scutarii) were nearly all killed." (Livy XXVI 11, 2.)

In contrast to other Spanish troops Celtiberian shield men did not operate well in rough ground. It is tempting to speculate if these were the Spanish type of troops that so effectively drew in the legions at Cannae allowing Hannibal to outflank and trap the Roman army.

Other Spanish favored the use of large amounts of skirmishers and the use of the small shield (Caetrati) even by their assault troops. Archaeological finds in Portugal provided some headless statuettes showing well-armored Iberians using small shields.

Roman troops who were later stationed in Spain tended to be corrupted by what was an effective way of fighting in a land of wild topography, as Caesar's legions found out when they battled Pompeian legions. "The method of fighting employed by the Pompeians was simply to charge violently at the outset and seize a position; they had no particular concern about keeping their ranks but fought dispersedly; if they were beaten, they did not think it shameful to retreat & give ground. They had grown accustomed to this sort of fighting with the Lusitanians & other barbarian tribes naturally, since it usually happens that troops are influenced by the habits of the natives of any region in which they have spent a long period of service. This upset our troops, who were not at all accustomed to this sort of fighting; when they saw individuals running forward, they thought they were going to be surrounded on the flanks, where they were exposed; & they believed that they ought to keep in their lines and should never leave the standards nor allow themselves to be dislodged from a position they had taken up, except for some very serious reason." (Caesar. BC 1. 44. 2.)

One thing missed by most gamers is the sheer number of Spaniards in Roman Peninsular armies. Prior to one battle the Celtiberians heavily outnumbered the Roman troops and in another they provided enough troops to make up the two wings of the Roman anny of Scipio at Ilipa. In a repeat of Cannae, he turned tables on the Carthaginians by surprising them by moving his Spaniards to the center with orders to delay the advancing Africans while destroying the Spanish flanks with Roman troops which was against all Roman doctrine. He did so, then wheeled inward with both wings to rout the Africans. (Livy XXIX, 29. XXV I H, 14.)

Cavalry Tactics

Spanish cavalry came well equipped usually with mail or breastplate because they tended to be nobility. The followers of Spanish chieftains were generally of this type and prepared to fight in close combat with any other cavalry. This bodyguard had another unique function which is noted by Plutarch in his account of Sertorius: "There being a custom in Spain that when a commander was slain in battle, those who attended his person fought it out till they all died with him, which the inhabitants of those countries called an offering, or libation, there were few commanders that had any considerable guard or number of attendants; but Sertorius was followed by many thousands who offered themselves, and vowed to spend their blood with his. And it is told that when his army was defeated near a city in Spain, and the enemy pressed bard upon them, the Spaniards, with no care for themselves, but being totally solicitous to save Sertorius, took him upon their shoulders and passed him from one to another, till they carried him into the city, and only when they had thus placed their general in safety, provided afterwards each man for his own security." (Plutarch "Lives" - Sertorius 14)

Sertorius was assassinated by a jealous Roman officer, so no test of dedication to the death is given. Plutarch is unfair when he denigrates the devotion of these cavalry troops. Another example is available from Livy and demonstrates the elite status of these mounted troops. Taking the battle mentioned earlier, where the Spanish infantry formed up in blocks with lanes between to allow their cavalry to pass through. (Livy remarks on a similar tactic used by the Romans and the Samnites. It must have been a widely used tactic.) What follows is a heroic account to rank with Stamford Bridge or Thermopylae.

Note the performance of the cavalry in the ensuing struggle: "The Roman cavalry charged, flinging the Spanish infantry into confusion. And at the sarne time closing the passage by which the Spanish had intended to send their own cavalry into action. This being no longer possible, the Spanish cavalry all dismounted, while the Roman commanders, seeing the enemy lines breaking up, his standards wavering, and panic and confusion everywhere, urged their men with the utmost insistence to press their advantage and give the disintegrating enemy army no opportunity to pull itself together again. ne wild tribesmen could never have withstood the weight of the attack which followed, if their prince Indibilis had not himself gallantly risked his life in advance of the front line together with his dismounted cavalrymen. For some time the bloody struggle continued until at last Indibilis was fatally wounded; he was pinned to the ground with a lance through his body and the soldiers who had been fighting to protect him were overwhelmed with missiles and all killed." (Livy XXIX, 2.)

During the battle where Indibilis met his heroic death, 30,000 foot and 4000 Spanish cavalry were present. Since Mandonius, the other Spanish leader escaped with his men, it is reasonable to suppose that a significant number of Spanish heavy cavalry was present to hold the Romans at bay while the infantry escaped.

Nor were the Spanish light cavalry to be despised. The Cantabrian circle used as part of ancient cavalry tactics has an obviousorigin. The cavalry would ride round in a clockwise circle hurling a continuous hail of missiles at an enemy while presenting a moving target. The finest light cavalry in the classical world is popularly supposed to be the Numidians. Livy puts a more interesting slant to this particular idea: "A few skirmishes took place, in which it appeared that the Numidian horsemen were no match for the Spanish, nor the Moorish javelin men for the Spaniards with their little round shields - troops who were their equals in speed and their superiors in strength and daring" (Livy XXI 11, 26.)

Here then we have two types of good cavalry. The close combat nobles, able to fight well on horseback or on foot and the nimble light cavalry, which were able to outride and out fight even the Numidian light horse.

More Restive Spanish

Introduction
Infantry and Cavalry Tactics
Wargaming the Spanish