Why were armies in Antiquity seemingly larger than those in the Middle Ages?

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I wonder if the increased importance of siege warfare might have had something to do with it. Many ancient wars were decided by field battles, so it made sense to bring all your troops along to maximise your chances of winning. In the Medieval period, OTOH, the countryside was very densely fortified, meaning that even if you lost a field battle your enemies would still have to capture all seventy bajillion of your castles to win. Keeping a huge army in place long enough to win all these sieges would be a logistical nightmare in any age, so it made more sense to take along a smaller force which was big enough to carry out sieges but not so big as to place huge strains on your country's logistics.
 
I wonder if the increased importance of siege warfare might have had something to do with it. Many ancient wars were decided by field battles, so it made sense to bring all your troops along to maximise your chances of winning. In the Medieval period, OTOH, the countryside was very densely fortified, meaning that even if you lost a field battle your enemies would still have to capture all seventy bajillion of your castles to win. Keeping a huge army in place long enough to win all these sieges would be a logistical nightmare in any age, so it made more sense to take along a smaller force which was big enough to carry out sieges but not so big as to place huge strains on your country's logistics.

Yes, and to a degree the inverse; due to limited numbers and high investment in training, many medieval commanders avoided field battles as too chancy. Sieges were much more pure math.
 

Oceano

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Also the romans didn't have limitations like "campaign seasons" and having to finish wars fast so the peasantry could go back home before winter.
 
Also the romans didn't have limitations like "campaign seasons" and having to finish wars fast so the peasantry could go back home before winter.

Well, even for a professional army like the Romans remaining in the field over winter is generally considered something to avoid if possible. (Wasn't that what got Maurice killed?)
 
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