Macedonian phalanx

The Macedonian phalanx (Greek: Μακεδονική φάλαγξ) was an infantry formation created by Philip II. He changed an older Greek style called the hoplite phalanx by giving his soldiers a very long spear called the sarissa, which was about 6 metres long. Philip II used this powerful formation when his kingdom grew stronger between 359 and 336 BC.

Drawing of a full 256-man phalanx formation

Later, his son Alexander the Great led the same kind of soldiers when he went on big adventures between 336 and 323 BC. He used them to defeat a huge empire called the Achaemenid Empire and fought in many places during his campaigns.

After these famous battles, the idea of the Macedonian phalanx spread all over a region called the Hellenistic world. It became the usual way armies lined up for big fights. But later, when fighting against the Roman Republic in wars like the Second Macedonian War, it sometimes had trouble changing quickly compared to the more flexible Roman legions.

Development

In 359 BC, after a loss against the Illyrians, Macedonia’s new leader, Philip II, changed how soldiers fought. He learned new ways to fight while staying in Thebes and decided to create a special group of soldiers called the phalanx. Instead of using big shields, Philip gave his soldiers long spears called the sarissa. He started with a small group of soldiers, but later made it bigger. Philip trained his soldiers more and set rules for their behavior. When his son, Alexander the Great, led battles later, he kept using this same style of fighting but included more soldiers from other places.

Equipment

Each soldier in the Macedonian phalanx carried a very long weapon called a sarissa, which was over 6 meters (18 feet) long. This huge spear helped keep enemies far away. Soldiers in the front rows held their spears straight out, making many points face the enemy at once. Those behind held their spears at an angle to protect against arrows. They also carried a short sword called a xiphos.

The soldiers had a smaller shield than other Greek fighters, about 24 inches across and made of bronze-covered wood. They wore this shield around their neck so they could use both hands to hold the sarissa. All the gear a soldier carried weighed about 40 pounds, which was lighter than what other Greek soldiers wore.

Formation

The phalanx was a special way soldiers stood in lines to fight. It had many small groups called syntagmata, and each group had 256 soldiers standing very close together. Leaders stood at the front to guide their team.

Soldiers in the front rows were very skilled and got more pay. The phalanx was strong on the front and left side but weaker on the right and back. It was used to keep enemies still while other soldiers, like the cavalry, attacked from the sides. The cavalry often stood on the far right to help protect the phalanx. Other soldiers, such as archers and shield carriers, also helped in battles.

Key battles

Here are some important battles where the Macedonian phalanx fought:

Development

Equipment

Formation

Key battles

Images

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