Historian Reacts - Why EVERY massive battle is wrong!

Summary by Krater

This video examines historical battle formations using Unreal Engine 5 simulations to debunk the myth of massive, deeply packed ancient armies, concluding that real battle lines were actually wide and thin.

From the video

Answers: What did ancient armies actually look like in battle?

• ancient army size
• battle formations
• phalanx depth
• Roman legion formation
• Spartan combat tactics

What it concludes

• Ancient armies did not use massive, deeply packed hordes as commonly depicted in movies.
• Battle formations prioritized width over depth to prevent being flanked and outmaneuvered.
• Most ancient battle formations were only 6 to 8 ranks deep.
• Depth in ancient formations provided morale support rather than actual pushing power.
• Effective force transfer from rear ranks diminishes rapidly beyond 10 to 12 men deep.