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An Invincible Beast: Understanding the Hellenistic Pike Phalanx in Action
An innovative study of the Macedonian war machine's sarissa-wielding infantry under such leaders as Philip II and Alexander the Great.
The Hellenistic pike-phalanx was a true military innovation, transforming the face of warfare in the ancient world. For nearly 200 years, from the rise of the Macedonians as a military power in the mid-fourth century BC, to their defeat at the hands of the Romans at Pydna in 168BC, the pike-wielding heavy infantryman (the phalangite) formed the basis of nearly every Hellenistic army to deploy on battlefields stretching from Italy to India. And yet, despite this dominance, and the vast literature dedicated to detailing the history of the Hellenistic world, there remains fierce debate among modern scholars about how infantry combat in this age was actually conducted.
Christopher Matthews critically examines phalanx combat by using techniques such as physical re-creation, experimental archaeology, and ballistics testing, and then comparing the findings of this testing to the ancient literary, artistic and archaeological evidence, as well as modern theories. The result is the most comprehensive and up-to-date study of what heavy infantry combat was like in the age of Alexander the Great and his successors.
The Hellenistic pike-phalanx was a true military innovation, transforming the face of warfare in the ancient world. For nearly 200 years, from the rise of the Macedonians as a military power in the mid-fourth century BC, to their defeat at the hands of the Romans at Pydna in 168BC, the pike-wielding heavy infantryman (the phalangite) formed the basis of nearly every Hellenistic army to deploy on battlefields stretching from Italy to India. And yet, despite this dominance, and the vast literature dedicated to detailing the history of the Hellenistic world, there remains fierce debate among modern scholars about how infantry combat in this age was actually conducted.
Christopher Matthews critically examines phalanx combat by using techniques such as physical re-creation, experimental archaeology, and ballistics testing, and then comparing the findings of this testing to the ancient literary, artistic and archaeological evidence, as well as modern theories. The result is the most comprehensive and up-to-date study of what heavy infantry combat was like in the age of Alexander the Great and his successors.
803 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 31, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 13, 2025
A treasure trove of incredible information on the Macedonian phalanx, expertly argued. However, be warned: only read this if you are VERY interested. After reading a whole chapter on the lengths of cubits from different city states in 4th century BC Greece as a way to find out exactly how long a sarissa is, I knew I was in for the long haul. If you aren’t willing to do this, then just skip to the last two chapters, as they explain how the phalanx works and why the legion was able to defeat it.
December 11, 2018
Long (over 500 pages), detailed, and well-researched. Tells you more about the Macedonian phalanx than you’ll ever want to know. Traces the evolution of the phalanx from its precursor formations in the post-Peloponnesian War era to its death on the battlefield at Chaeronea in 86 BC.
June 10, 2018
good book talks about the aspects of phalanx battle including the weapon the sarissa and other equipment use by the phalanges along with formations and battle tactics of the time.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews