We know that the duration of ancient battles runs from the short to the long depending on the circumstances. Occasionally the adversary runs away before the first blow is struck. Other battles have been known to last all day. So how long was the average battle? Livy cites battles lasting many hours; Caesar describes a battle of several cohorts lasting five hours. The data we can put our hands on suggests a couple of hours on average. Of course the interval is not just sword play but must include maneuvers during the battle, such as re-positioning cavalry.
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