Byzantine infantry Tagmata?

simple premise, but major consequences, lets say Rhomania survives in the Balkans and Anatolia and manages to secure much of Italy over the centuries (ala Issacs Empire). Eventually the Empire will have to reform its armies, is it possible that the infantry based system of warfare used by past versions of the Roman state would return? I was thinking of this mostly in the context of the rise of infantry during the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, English, Spanish and Ottoman armies from the late medieval and early modern periods particularly spring to mind...
 
simple premise, but major consequences, lets say Rhomania survives in the Balkans and Anatolia and manages to secure much of Italy over the centuries (ala Issacs Empire). Eventually the Empire will have to reform its armies, is it possible that the infantry based system of warfare used by past versions of the Roman state would return? I was thinking of this mostly in the context of the rise of infantry during the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, English, Spanish and Ottoman armies from the late medieval and early modern periods particularly spring to mind...

It is not only possible but probable. The Byzantines never had the luxury of being able to be stagnant and outdated.
 
I can see heavy Kataphractoi cavalry such as the "Scholae" surviving in various forms as a supplement to revived "legionary" type infantry.
 
perhaps just melee infantry similar to the "Skoutatoi" type infantry fielded in the Macedonian and Komnenian periods. "legionary" was indeed too vague a term!
 
What do you mean by "legionary" type infantry?

The way I see it as time goes by and the era of firearms really gets going you could start seeing a Legionary style reorganization of the Roman army, if only because when firearms took over most of Europe started shamelessly copying the legionary style of organizing the army. Although the other guy may have a different idea.
 
The way I see it as time goes by and the era of firearms really gets going you could start seeing a Legionary style reorganization of the Roman army, if only because when firearms took over most of Europe started shamelessly copying the legionary style of organizing the army. Although the other guy may have a different idea.

Well, the Byzantines already have methods of organizing a professional army that work very nicely - I posted a link on that the other day.

They don't need to go back to the older Roman model for much of anything, except to remember that short swords beat long pikes.
 
If the Byzantines are to stay competitive they will have to have the standard mixture of arqebussers and pikemen as well as cavalry.
 
If the Byzantines are to stay competitive they will have to have the standard mixture of arqebussers and pikemen as well as cavalry.

Something like the Spanish Tericos, or something like - when the technology permits - the Swedish infantry we see with Gustavus Adolphus - would probably be appropriate.

It would be interesting to see how the Byzantines take to the rifle. Will they see it as the weapon of the future, or merely a specialist weapon?

"Sufficient to survive" can still be subpar.

But my money is on the Byzantines staying competitive - not the forefront, but observant enough to keep up with what is being learned elsewhere.
 
Well, the Byzantines already have methods of organizing a professional army that work very nicely - I posted a link on that the other day.
You should post it again. I'm always up for links talking about pre-modern military organization.
 
Top