Hi everyone and welcome to another episode of ancient warfare answers with me, Murray, your 10-minute weekly fix of ancient warfare.

My question today is from Matthew D and he finishes it with, I would have sent this via telegram if I could.

Very exciting. I would have loved to have received a telegram if I could. Very exciting.

I would have loved to have received a telegram, and I will treat your response as if it is one.

Anyway, what Matthew says is love the podcast and have become a Patreon subscriber.

Thank you, Matthew.

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Now, Matthew's question goes on.

As it relates to artillery, are there accounts of it being specifically used to be dedicated to target leadership?

For example, a Legatus or Centurion, or dedicated expert archers, etc., to do the same.

Imagine a sniper type scenario.

This seems like a tactic which could have been used to quickly demoralize a force and eliminate command and control. So, firstly, a very short answer, specifically as relates to artillery.

No, not that I can think of in ancient warfare

where artillery specifically is used to target an enemy commander of any rank.

I don't think so.

However, if we go more widely, dedicated expert at Hutchers, for instance, you do get several occasions where archers are or do target a commander or are requested to target a commander.

But most sort of striking example of that is Diodorus Ciculus's account of the battle of high daspies

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