ACOUP - Logistics, How Did They Do It, Part I: The Problem

In this three-part series, Bret offers an overview of how logistics were handled by pre-modern armies. To start, he sets out the problem: what logistics needs does a typical pre-modern army have? As Bret explains, this problem encompasses not just “how does each individual soldier eat or carry his pack” but extends to the broader issue of “how many people are in a typical army, how many of them are non-combatants, and how many animals does that include?”

 

Anyone wishing to engage with Bret, check out these links:

 

Original post for this recording - https://acoup.blog/2022/07/15/collections-logistics-how-did-they-do-it-part-i-the-problem/

Dr. Devereaux’s blog, A Collection of Unmitigated Pedantry - https://acoup.blog

Dr. Devereaux’s Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/bretdevereaux.bsky.social

Dr. Devereaux’s Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=20122096

Narrations on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0QwqosVQjvXWKovUxdSGpQ

 

And if you wish to support me, please like, share, and subscribe!

 

0:00 – Logistics, How Did They Do It

7:04 - The Backpack and the Belly

21:45 - The Problem

29:41 - The Rest of the Army

40:50 - Kick Them Out!

49:38 - Scale

56:34 - Credits