Not just the enemy ranks - into the teeth of a phalanx! Battle of Pydna
The Romans, when they attacked the Macedonian phalanx, were unable to force a passage, and Salvius, the commander of the Pelignians, snatched the standard of his company and hurled it in among the enemy. Then the Pelignians, since among the Italians it is an unnatural and flagrant thing to abandon a standard, rushed on towards the place where it was, and dreadful losses were inflicted and suffered on both sides.
Hell of a thing to impale yourself on 20 foot long pikes just to get a bit of ornamentation back!
There were other similar incidents like this, I think. Possibly even more with throwing, though I can’t remember those off the top of my head. I do remember when Caesar’s soldiers hesitated to disembark from their ships and face the British, a standard-bearer was the one who was the first to take the plunge, and the rest of the troops followed because losing their standard would have been an immense shame!
I read that in one battle, the standard bearer threw it into the enemy ranks to force the Roman soldiers to fight fiercely.
Not just the enemy ranks - into the teeth of a phalanx! Battle of Pydna
Hell of a thing to impale yourself on 20 foot long pikes just to get a bit of ornamentation back!
There were other similar incidents like this, I think. Possibly even more with throwing, though I can’t remember those off the top of my head. I do remember when Caesar’s soldiers hesitated to disembark from their ships and face the British, a standard-bearer was the one who was the first to take the plunge, and the rest of the troops followed because losing their standard would have been an immense shame!