Squadrons of light horse were used for scouting and skirmishing.įrom the founding of their city-state until the close of the 2nd century bc, the Romans found the Greek-style phalanx suitable for fighting in the plains of Latium. Protecting the flanks and poised to charge the enemy’s weak points was heavy cavalry, armed with sword and javelin. On both sides of the syntagma, lending mobility as well as protection, was the light infantry, a disciplined force of archers, slingers, and javelin men. The remaining 11 ranks presumably held their spears vertically or rested them on the shoulders of those in front. Each soldier was armed with the sarissa, a 13- to 21-foot spear in battle formation, the first five ranks held their spears horizontally in front of the advancing phalanx, each file being practically on the heels of the men in front. Alexander’s core unit in the phalanx was the syntagma, normally 16 men deep. The basic Greek formation was made more flexible by Philip II of Macedon and his son, Alexander III the Great. Such a formation encouraged cohesion among advancing troops and presented a frightening spectacle to the enemy, but it was difficult to maneuver and, if penetrated by enemy formations, became little more than a mob. Since the phalanx held in solid ranks and was divided only into the centre and wings, there was generally little need for an officer corps the whole line advanced in step to the sound of the flute. The Greek hoplite, the heavy-armed infantryman who manned the phalanx, was equipped with a round shield, a heavy corselet of leather and metal, greaves (shin armour), an 8-foot pike for thrusting, and a 2-foot double-edged sword. During the 7th century bc the Greek city-states adopted a phalanx eight men deep. The ancient Sumerian army fielded a standard six-man-deep phalanx the first line went into battle carrying large, rectangular shields, and the troops bore heavy pikes and battle axes. Fully developed by the ancient Greeks, it survived in modified form into the gunpowder era and is viewed today as the beginning of European military development. Phalanx, in military science, tactical formation consisting of a block of heavily armed infantry standing shoulder to shoulder in files several ranks deep. SpaceNext50 Britannica presents SpaceNext50, From the race to the Moon to space stewardship, we explore a wide range of subjects that feed our curiosity about space!.Learn about the major environmental problems facing our planet and what can be done about them! Saving Earth Britannica Presents Earth’s To-Do List for the 21st Century.100 Women Britannica celebrates the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment, highlighting suffragists and history-making politicians.COVID-19 Portal While this global health crisis continues to evolve, it can be useful to look to past pandemics to better understand how to respond today.Student Portal Britannica is the ultimate student resource for key school subjects like history, government, literature, and more.This Time in History In these videos, find out what happened this month (or any month!) in history.#WTFact Videos In #WTFact Britannica shares some of the most bizarre facts we can find.Demystified Videos In Demystified, Britannica has all the answers to your burning questions.Britannica Classics Check out these retro videos from Encyclopedia Britannica’s archives.Britannica Explains In these videos, Britannica explains a variety of topics and answers frequently asked questions.
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