EDWARD'S LECTURE NOTES:
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C O U R S E
Alexander the Great
Guy MacLean Rogers, Wellesley College
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C O U R S E L E C T U R E Philip II of Macedon's Military Reforms Notes taken on July 23, 2015 by Edward Tanguay |
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Philip II of Macedon's (382–336 BC) military reforms
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affected Macedon's ability to wage war significantly
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gave Macedonians massive advantagess over
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the Hoplite city-states
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forces of Persian kings
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most important changes: infantry and cavalry
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pezhetairoi [πεζέταιροι]
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foot companions
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distinguished them from the other group merely called "companions"
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largest and most important contingent of infantry men
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equipment
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pileus [πῖλος]
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metal helmet
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conical in shape
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Thracian style helmet with peak over front with cheek pieces
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if you serve in the back, you might be wearing Macedonian sun hats made out of straw
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unlike Greek hoplite warriors, you probably don't wear a metal breast plate even if you serve in the front ranks
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but rather layers of linen woven together
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might stop an arrow or cut from a sword, but will not stop a direct thrust from a sharp sword
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pleated skirt
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short cutting sword
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spear
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greaves to protect knees and shins
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some protection on top of feet
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left shoulder
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small, button-shaped shield
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protects left shoulder
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primary weapon is a 4-7 meter long pike known as a sarissa
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introduced by Philip around 359 BCE
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sarissa weighs more than 6 kilograms
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can't be wielded effectively with one hand
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a two-handed weapon you have to carry on your right-hand side
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yet it is more than twice as long as the spear carried by a Greek hoplite soldier
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encountering Macedonia's pezhetairoi formations in battle with their massively long sarissa pikes would have been like meeting up with a large, angry, well-disciplined porcupine with quills five meters long
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the pezhetairoi are brigaded into units of about 1500 men
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at least three or a least or all six of the these brigades that Alexander brought with him to Asia were recruited locally in Macedon
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the people in these infantry units were serving next to people they grew up with and possibly related to it
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if you were good at wielding the sarissa
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belong to the Hypaspistai [Ὑπασπιστής]
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"the shield bearers"
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developed from a body guard
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the elite unit of this fought around the king
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had high speed, flexibility and aggressiveness
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down the lines and behind lines, also infantry units
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gathered up among Macedon's allies
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Greek city states
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Thracians
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Illyrians
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some of the most dangerous missions
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Javelin men from Macedon
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men who came from Strymon [Στρυμών] valley
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Bulgaria, Strymon river begins near Sofia
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archers from Macedon and island of Crete
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long history of producing first rate bowmen
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pezhetairoi lined up in 16 ranks
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common at the time as 8-10 ranks
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later expanded to 32 ranks
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made possible by the greater population of Macedon
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men in the back hold up their sarissi to deflect arrows and other missiles
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turned to the side
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moved back and forth
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moved together left, right, back and forth
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synaspismos
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locked shields together
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provide protection
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or held over head
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Philip had the wealth and commitment to make military training excellent, the best in the world at that time
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armor was lighter
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defense had been exchanged for speed, mobility, and flexibility
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no army in the world at that time had an answer to the sarissa