Philip II of the Greek kingdom of Macedon introduced the “Sarissa”which was a double-pointed pike over 6 m (18 ft) in length.
Soliders of Philip’s army were equipped with the sarissa, a double-pointed pike over 6 m (18 ft) in lengthwhich had a greater reach than traditional Greek weapons. Thisinnovation meant that Philip’s army’s phalanxes could make thefirst strike, which transformed them into a deadly force.
The phalanx of the Ancient Macedonian kingdom and the laterHellenistic successor states was a development of the hoplitephalanx. The ‘phalangites’ were armed with the much longer sarissaand less heavily armoured. Since the sarissa was wielded two-handed, phalangites carried muchsmaller shields that were strapped to their arms. Therefore,although a Macedonian phalanx would have formed up in a similarmanner to the hoplite phalanx, it possessed very different tacticalproperties. With the extra spear length, up to five rows ofphalangites could project their weapon beyond the frontrank-keeping the enemy troops at a greater distance. The Macedonianphalanx was much less able to form a shield wall, but thelengthened spears would have compensated for this. Such a phalanxformation also reduces the likelihood that battles would degenerateinto a pushing match.
In 358 BC, his new army successfully invaded first Paeonia and thenIllyria, regaining territory that Macedonia had ceded.
Soliders of Philip’s army were equipped with the sarissa, a double-pointed pike over 6 m (18 ft) in lengthwhich had a greater reach than traditional Greek weapons. Thisinnovation meant that Philip’s army’s phalanxes could make thefirst strike, which transformed them into a deadly force.
The phalanx of the Ancient Macedonian kingdom and the laterHellenistic successor states was a development of the hoplitephalanx. The ‘phalangites’ were armed with the much longer sarissaand less heavily armoured. Since the sarissa was wielded two-handed, phalangites carried muchsmaller shields that were strapped to their arms. Therefore,although a Macedonian phalanx would have formed up in a similarmanner to the hoplite phalanx, it possessed very different tacticalproperties. With the extra spear length, up to five rows ofphalangites could project their weapon beyond the frontrank-keeping the enemy troops at a greater distance. The Macedonianphalanx was much less able to form a shield wall, but thelengthened spears would have compensated for this. Such a phalanxformation also reduces the likelihood that battles would degenerateinto a pushing match.
In 358 BC, his new army successfully invaded first Paeonia and thenIllyria, regaining territory that Macedonia had ceded.
