Strategy

     Plans are useful. They allow the formation of organized efforts to constructively achieve goals. Without them life would just drift aimlessly by since nothing beneficial could exist with purposeful order. As such, strategy has coincided with man's interactions and exploits.
     The first illustration of advantages of strategy comes from Philip II of Macedon (Alexander the Great's father) who took Theban military techniques learned from his time captive there, modified those weapons, and obliterated opposition. His techniques so improved the design of warfare that those styles remained triumphant for two centuries until the Roman legion engineered a better formation. However, Macedon's strategizing didn't stop with military innovation, plans to invade Persia existed nearly ten years before Alexander the Great accomplished it. Conquering the neighboring Greek states gave the Macedonian's battle experience, a secure home base, and a larger allied force to meet the foe. Everything was planned.
     The Chinese are well known for the construction of the Great Wall to keep out the invading Mongolian Huns. While the sheer size of the wall establishes an effective border, the construction time was several centuries, with improvements gradually added on. The planning is there, but the strategy could have been better oriented even given the resources and available manpower.
     The best examples of purposeful, organized, implemented strategy must come from the Romans that lived lives so organized that they fascinated the Greeks. Polybius became so convinced of Roman superiority, he wrote several books explaining the Roman system to convince the Greeks of their oppressors' righteous control over all men.

     The Hadrian wall was constructed a the narrowest point north that the Romans controlled on the Isle of Great Britain. Seventy miles long and representing the northern border of the Roman empire for almost 300 years, the stone wall physically changed the landscape of the terrain it covered.
     The Romans shored up the inside of the wall with a slope of dirt, further reinforced with stone structures. The outside of the wall that the attacks would face had a sheer slope that would need to be climbed under artillery barrage. If the hill was scaled, a fifteen to thirty foot wall defended by trained soldiers remained to be overcome. And if all that was accomplished, the nearest garrison sent cavalry reinforcements along with up to a thousand men. Garrisons and granaries for supplies were located in forts spread between every two to five miles along the wall. Remember, this is the farthest reach of the Roman empire, 1800 km (1100 miles) from Rome.
     Thus in essence, offensive attacks needed to climb a 45-60 degree hill, scale a 15-30 foot wall, fight off several hundred soldiers in the immediate vicinity, hold off cavalry, and dig in to resist inevitable reinforcements from the nearest garrisons. All this would only accomplish the satisfaction of the first line of defense in Roman-controlled England. The vallum, rocky hills that restricted trade to garrisoned gates in the wall, reduced the possible routes a southerly invading army could attack the countryside. The army would be channeled to the forts and barracks scattered throughout the country side with provisions ready for mobile warfare or siege.
     The Romans were military prepared for any possible attack their barbarous enemies could attempt. This is a summary of the major joints of strategy involved in the construction and defense of Hadrian's wall. Portions of this defensive system still stand today, neglected nearly sixteen hundred years.
     The Romans understood their own strengths and limitations. Taking advantage of travel roads, previous battles, and local geography, a defensive perimeter hindered attackers while aiding defenders. A regular rotation of troops kept soldiers fresh and morale high. Trade flourished behind the security of the wall, giving popular support to its upkeep. Extra security features were established behind the wall to account for any flaws or successful breaches that would either check the enemy shortly or provide sufficient time to allow reserves to enter the area.
     When strategizing in life, determine your strengths. Take advantage of your resources and circumstances. Account for your flaws and have secondary procedures prepared to alleviate possible failures. Most importantly stay vigilant as those that grow lazy in the watch suffer the hardest defeats.

 __    
Agatha Tyche