Who led the Macedonian phalanx?

Philip II
The Macedonian phalanx is an infantry formation developed by Philip II. It was used by his son Alexander the Great to conquer the Persian Empire. The formation was made up of spearmen carrying 18 to 20 ft (5.5–6 m) long spears.

What was the point of a phalanx?

In Greek texts, the phalanx may be deployed for battle, on the march, or even camped, thus describing the mass of infantry or cavalry that would deploy in line during battle. They marched forward as one entity.

How many is a phalanx?

The typical phalanx was eight men deep, that is, eight rows of men, and any number of men wide. There are instances of both less and greater ranks of men in various battles though. The hoplite’s main weapon was a spear (600074) between seven to nine feet long.

What made the Macedonian phalanx different?

The Macedonian phalanx used much longer spears, the sarissa at up to ~20-22 feet (6-7m) in length. They were more lightly armored, using a linothorax and a smaller shield strapped to their left arm, not carried separately.

What made the phalanx obsolete?

At the Battle of Cynocephalae in 197 BCE, the Romans defeated the Greek phalanx easily because the Greeks had failed to guard the flanks of their phalanx and, further, the Greek commanders could not turn the mass of men who comprised the phalanxes quickly enough to counter the strategies of the Roman army and, after …

How do you break a Macedonian phalanx?

Defeating phalanxes in the game typically involved positioning sufficient force near their front while moving to threaten their flanks, before charging into their flanks. Attempting to re-orient to face the flanking force simply presented the flank to the force posturing near what used to be the front.

How did Macedonia become powerful?

Scholars have attributed Alexander’s diplomatic skills and habit of carrying books with him on his military campaigns to Aristotle’s influence. In one long military campaign that lasted 11 years, he conquered the Persian Empire, making Macedonia the largest, most powerful empire in the world.

How long was the Macedonian sarissa?

13 to 21 feet
history of spears … II of Macedon introduced the sarissa, a pike 13 to 21 feet (4 to 6.5 m) long that gave the Macedonian infantry an extra reach before the pike blades of the opposing Greeks could reach them.

How was the Macedonian phalanx defeated?

Polybius on the Macedonian Wars gets into some of the nitty gritty, but basically the gist is that during the Samnite Wars, the Romans found that their phalanxes were being beaten by the Samnite light infantry and cavalry, who were used to fighting the mountainous terrain of Samnium.

What kind of soldiers did the Macedonian army have?

At the heart of this change were sweeping reforms of the Macedonian state and army. In the past, the kingdom produced some decent cavalry, but few other soldiers of much account. Greek warfare was still dominated by the hoplite, armoured spearman who fought in the close-knit ranks of the phalanx.

Who was the king of the Kingdom of Macedonia?

The army of the Kingdom of Macedonia was among the greatest military forces of the ancient world. It was created and made formidable by King Philip II of Macedon; previously the army of Macedon had been of little account in the politics of the Greek world, and Macedonia had been regarded as a second-rate power.

What did Philip II of Macedon do with his army?

The latest innovations in weapons and tactics were adopted and refined by Philip II, and he created a uniquely flexible and effective army. By introducing military service as a full-time occupation, Philip was able to drill his men regularly, ensuring unity and cohesion in his ranks.

What did the Hetairoi wear in the Macedonian army?

Befitting the elite ‘hammer’ of the Macedonian army, the Hetairoi flaunted their uniforms, with the Royal Squadron members ostentatiously displaying purple cloaks or chlamys (dyed with Tyrian purple) with golden yellow borders – many of which were confiscated from the Persian treasury.

Who led the Macedonian phalanx? Philip II The Macedonian phalanx is an infantry formation developed by Philip II. It was used by his son Alexander the Great to conquer the Persian Empire. The formation was made up of spearmen carrying 18 to 20 ft (5.5–6 m) long spears. What was the point of a phalanx?…