WW2 in the East - The Battle Of Kursk. Greek objection to the new country’s name, insisting it implied territorial pretensions to the northern Greek province of Macedonia, and democratic backsliding for several years stalled the country’s movement toward Euro-Atlantic integration. Initially only one squadron strong, they received 500 reinforcements in Egypt and a further 600 at Susa. [25] The Thessalian cavalry was famed for its use of rhomboid formations, said to have been developed by the Thessalian Tagos (head of the Thessalian League) Jason of Pherae. They were typically entrusted with the defensive role of guarding the left flank from enemy cavalry, allowing the decisive attack to be launched on the right. In a remarkably short time, this led to the creation of one of the finest military machines of the ancient world. [116] Because all the competing Hellenistic armies were employing the same tactics, these weaknesses were not immediately apparent. During a pitched battle, such as Gaugamela, they acted as guard for the right flank of the phalanx and as a flexible link between the phalanx and the Companion cavalry. [39] Foot Companions were levied from the peasantry of Macedon. [36] However, the introduction of the sarissa pike in conjunction with a smaller shield seem to have been innovations devised by Philip himself, or at the very least he produced the definitive synthesis of earlier developments. This was a light shield made of leather-faced wicker. There, Alexander did not dare assault the dense infantry formation with his cavalry, but rather waited for his infantry to arrive, while he and his cavalry harassed their flanks. [47], The phalanx carried with it a fairly minimal baggage train, with only one servant for every ten men. It is possible that the lance was aimed at the upper body of an opposing cavalryman in the expectation that a blow which did not wound or kill might have sufficient leverage to unseat. 0 Reviews. Each file of 16 men, a lochos, was commanded by a lochagos who was in the front rank. The length of these pikes was such that they had to be wielded with two hands in battle. [74] As evidenced by the Alexander Sarcophagus, troops serving Alexander the Great were also armoured in the hoplite fashion. Six syntagmata formed a taxis of 1,500 men commanded by a strategos, a variable number of taxeis formed a phalanx under a phalangiarch. Cretan archers were famed for their powerful bows, firing arrows with large, heavy heads of cast bronze. Disposal of Defence Equipment - ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA ... technique in capacity of the Macedonian Army. [79], Each Companion cavalryman was equipped with a 3-metre double-ended spear/lance with a cornel wood shaft called the xyston. The basic structure of the army inherited by Philip II was the division of the companion cavalry (hetairoi) from the foot companions (pezhetairoi), augmented by various allied troops, foreign levied soldiers, and mercenaries. script.setAttribute("async", true); [109][110], The Macedonians had developed their siege tactics under Philip. [38], Imitating the Greek example of martial exercises and issuing of standard equipment for citizen soldiery, Philip II transformed the Macedonian army from a levied force of farmers into a well-trained fighting force. However, the Hellenistic armies were eventually faced by forces from outside the successor kingdoms, such as the Roman and Parthian armies, composed of differing troop types using novel tactics. The extent to which phalangites were armoured is unclear, and may have changed over time. [31], The prodromoi/sarissophoroi acted as scouts, reconnoitering in front of the army when it was on the march. [86], Foot archers, notably mercenary Cretans, were also employed; Cretans were noted for the heavy, large-headed arrows they used. [11], One important military innovation of Philip II is often overlooked, he banned the use of wheeled transport and limited the number of camp servants to one to every ten infantrymen and one each for the cavalry. The new Macedonian army was an amalgamation of different forces. Its organization and weaponry were similar to the Companion Cavalry, though the earlier Thessalian way of fighting emphasised the use of javelins. [27], At Ecbatana, the Thessalians with Alexander's army were disbanded and sent home. Finally, a great-grandson of Alexander I, Amyntas III, took the throne in 393/392. [248] Philip II was also responsible for the establishment of the royal bodyguards (somatophylakes). The double spear points meant that, should the xyston break during a battle, the rider need only turn his weapon around to re-arm himself. 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