Development
Invented by king Philip II of Macedon around 359 B.C.E.(3) and made famous by the conquests of his son Alexander the Great, the Macedonian phalanx was a modified form of the Greek hoplite phalanx(1,2,3). The core concept remained the same: present an impenetrable wall of shields and spears – but Philip raised it to a new level. Where the Greek version contained 8 rows of men, only the first 1 or 2 of which could fight at a given time, the Macedonians fought 16 men deep(1,3). The first five rows could thrust their spears all at once(2,3).
Two new pieces of equipment made such changes possible. Most importantly, Philip invented a new pike(2) for his phalanx, called the sarissa, which at around 17 feet long more than doubled the length of the Greek spear(3). Polybius credits it with remarkable armor-penetrating capabilities , imparted by a flexible quality of the shaft(2). Because wielding a sarissa took both hands, the Macedonians also adopted a new shield(1). Slightly smaller than the Greek round-shield, this device strapped on at the upper arm and shoulder; thus the left hand remained free(1).
As with the Greeks, head, shin, and probably body armor were worn for protection(1).
Advantages
In its original form, the Macedonian phalanx could march and maneuver rapidly, as well as present a nearly-unstoppable force or an immovable object in any single direction. For any man or horse facing it in battle, it also presented a very intimidating spectacle.
By the time of its downfall in the years 200-198, the Macedonian phalanx had lost much of its maneuverability and become a liability in rough terrain(2). The phalanx used by Philip and Alexander, however, proved its flexibility and speed on rough terrain countless times(1). This should come as no surprise, seeing as Macedon itself is comprised of rough terrain, as are Greece and Afghanistan – areas conquered by Philip and Alexander, respectively(1).
The Macedonian phalanx’s prowess in attack and defense can be illustrated as follows. Picture a foot-soldier staring one in the face – not a cavalryman, as horses would likely refuse to charge so many spears. To kill the front phalanx soldier, the foot-soldier must accomplish the following and survive: dodge past five stabbing spear-points, get a weapon around the Macedonian’s shield, and put that weapon through his armor before he can deliver a lethal counter-stroke with his sword.
The above situation could yield incredible results for the Macedonians. At the battle of Gaugamela on 1 October 331 B.C.E(3), the phalanx spent all day in combat against a Persian infantry force estimated variously between 10 and 25 times as large(1). At the end of the day, estimates of overall Persian deaths that day range from 40,000-600,000. Macedonian deaths, somewhere in the low hundreds.(1) *
Tactical Role
The Macedonian phalanx was an incredibly-effective heavy infantry unit, but it was not an entire army. Like any heavy infantry, it was vulnerable without enough cavalry and light infantry support on its flanks. When used with such support, its combat record is nearly unblemished; without such support, mediocre to dismal(1,2,3).
*an uncommonly-high figure for them during that time(1)
Sources
1. Arrian. The Campaigns of Alexander. Translation by De Selincourt, Aubrey. Introduction by Hamilton, J.R. New York: Penguin Group, 1971. Penguin Books USA, inc., New York 10014.
2. Polybius. The Rise of the Roman Empire. Translation by Scott-Kilvert, Ian. New York: Penguin Group, 1979. Penguin Press, Inc., New York 10014.
3.“phalanx”. (2008). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved December 08, 2008, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/454991/phalanx
