Macedonian Phalanx: Ancient Warfare

Macedonian Phalanx, 4th century BC. The Macedonian Phalanx was an infantry formation developed by Philip II. The phalanx originated from the classical Greek phalanx, which was critical for the success of the classical Greek world. Its main innovation was the use of the sarissa, a 6-metre pipe which could wound and kill enemies from a distance. It was famously commanded by Philip's son, Alexander the Great, during his conquest of the Achaemenid Empire between 334 and 323 BC. The original Greek phalanx was a 10x10 formation with very few experienced troops. However, the phalanx was later changed by Philip to a 16x16 formation, where he increased the amount of training required for the infantry. The phalanx now required constant drilling and punishments were given for those who disobeyed. Philip ensured that the Macedonians were provided with set uniforms that gave each soldier a sense of unity and solidarity. Each individual unit also had its own commander to better promote communication between the soldiers. Each soldier carried a sarissa as his primary weapon. It was 6 metres long and weighed 15 pounds. The sarissa was carried in two pieces before a battle and then slid together when it had to be used. At close range, the phalanx could keep enemies at a distance with the weapons of the first five rows all projecting beyond the front of the formation. The second weapon was the xiphos, a small short sword used for close combat. If enemies became too close for the phalanx to be effective, the Macedonian phalangites would use the xiphos to fend off enemies. Their shield was carried by a sling over the shoulder to free up both hands to wield the sarissa. All of the armour and weaponry a phalangite would carry totaled to 40 pounds, which was 10 pounds less than the weight of traditional Greek hoplites. The phalanx worked best on flat, unbroken land and this is why Alexander the Great was so successful against the Persians. This is because Persian geography was generally quite flat and open which allowed Alexander and his phalanx formation to continue his conquest east towards India. After the death of Alexander the Great, the Macedonian phalanx spread throughout the world. Here it became the standard battle formation for pitched battles. However, during the Macedonian wars against the Roman Republic, the phalanx became obsolete as it struggled against the manoeuvrable Roman legions.