It opened the
avenue to wars where the backbone of battle formation was no
longer composed of foot soldiers but of warriors on horses.
Mechanical contraptions (e.g., the Trebuchet, acknowledged at
1100, based on releasing a heavy counterweight) for throwing
large stones or missiles, opened the way to what would shift
superior defensive capabilities (through fortifications, city
walls, castles built before the 14th century) to superior
offensive power. This was also the case with the cannons that
the Turks used to conquer Constantinople (1453). But it is not
military practice per se that concerns us here, but rather the
implications of language, in particular literacy.
At a very small scale of human activity, with many autarchic
groups composed of few people, there was little need for
organized combat or specially trained warriors. Incipient,
rudimentary military practical experience, in its basic functions
of aggression and defense, became desirable at a larger scale of
human activity. This experience was simultaneous with the
establishment of language, especially writing. Sun Tzu's book, as
well as many earlier testimonies to battles (mythology,
religious writings, epic poetry, and philosophy), can be
mentioned here. This military practice integrated the means and
skills of survival, such as hunting and safeguarding the
territory from which food was obtained.
Awareness of resources corresponded to awareness of scale.
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