Why was the phalanx the most powerful?

The extreme length of the sarissa meant that up to five layers of pikes protruded ahead of the front man – allowing the phalanx to steamroll any opponent. So long as its rear and flank were protected, the formation was extremely powerful both as a defensive and an offensive weapon.

Why was the phalanx such a strong formation?

One of the primary reasons for its success on the battlefield was the Phalanx formation. The Greek army was dominated by the hoplite which formed the basis of their infantry divisions. When engaging in battle, the phalanx would form a tight defence and advance towards the enemy.

What defeated the phalanx?

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 …

Why was the Macedonian phalanx more effective than the Spartan phalanx?

Because the Macedonians had light infantry, light calvary and heavy calvary to complement their phalanx, the Macedonian phalanx was designed to hold the enemy, and control space while these more mobile specialized troops destroyed the enemy by flanking or the use of projectile weapons.

How strong is the phalanx?

The phalanx was an extremely strong form of heavy infantry, mainly used by the ancient Greek city states. Basically, it involved between 500 to a 1000 men in a tight formation, using their spears, all facing in one direction.

Did Alexander the Great perfect the phalanx?

The phalanx was divided into taxis based on geographical recruitment differences. Neither Philip nor Alexander actually used the phalanx as their arm of choice, but instead used it to hold the enemy in place while their heavy cavalry broke through their ranks.

Why was the phalanx so important?

The phalanx therefore presented a shield wall and a mass of spear points to the enemy, making frontal assaults against it very difficult. It also allowed a higher proportion of the soldiers to be actively engaged in combat at a given time (rather than just those in the front rank).

Why did the phalanx fall out of use?

The assumption behind this question is that Rome initially used the hoplite phalanx in battle, but eventually abandoned it in favour of deployment in maniples, which were supposedly better suited for the hilly Italian countryside.

Did the Romans use phalanx?

The Romans had originally employed the phalanx themselves but gradually evolved more flexible tactics. The result was the three-line Roman legion of the middle period of the Roman Republic, the Manipular System. Romans used a phalanx for their third military line, the triarii.

Why was the Macedonian phalanx so effective?

The Macedonian phalanx was so strong because it was an improvement on the already impressive Greek phalanx, which had performed well against lighter-armed armies like the Persians.