Medieval military logistics: a case for distributed agent-based simulation

Historical studies are frequently perceived to be characterised as clear narratives defined by a series of fixed events or actions. In reality, even where critical historic events may be identified, historic documentation frequently lacks corroborative detail that supports verifiable interpretation. Consequently, for many periods and areas of research, interpretation may rarely rise above the level of unproven assertion and is rarely tested against a range of evidence. Simulation provides an opportunity to break cycles of academic claim and counter-claim. This paper discusses the development and utilisation of large scale distributed Agent-based simulations designed to investigate the medieval military logistics in order to generate new evidence to supplement existing historical analysis. The work aims at modelling logistical arrangements relating to the battle of Manzikert (AD 1071), a key event in Byzantine history. The paper discusses the distributed simulation infrastructure and provides an overview of the agent models developed for this exercise.