The Macedonian Phalangites & Roman Legionnaries.

King Alexander’s conquest of the Persian Empire during the 3rd century BC, where the notable Macedonian victories at the battle of Issus and Guagamela. They sought the ingenuity in the Hellenic style of the Macedonian Phalangites as a ferocious war machine that would overcome the Persian armies and the Roman legionnaries military achievements in the Gallic wars in 58 BC.

This is where Julius Caesar’s Roman legionnaries, tactical maniple formation would crush the Gallic army at the battle of Alesia in 52 BC through their continous disciplinary drills. Although, both tactical formations are indeed superior and have dominated the battlefields of the ancient world with substantial results.

However, the ongoing debate and discussion of examining the legion versus phalanx amongst military historians was to know which formation is far more effective.

This conclusion would be the Roman legionnaries, flexible abilities of surpassing the phalanx formation in the crushing defeats of the Macedonian armies, at the battle of Cynoscephalae in 197 BC and the battle of Pydna in 168 BC. This was a remarkable turning point for the Roman Repubic of attaining military prowess in the Punic wars and Macedonian wars.

How was this achieved?

Well, the Roman maniple system, such as the early Polybius reforms was quite a unique layout in deploying their units in three lines, one behind the other that enabled a flexible formation and were adaptable in battle tactics. Therefore, the phalanx formation lacked this tactical innovation and were slow to respond in a flanking crisis from their opponents. This proves military unit flexibility to be a crucial element of turning the tide of battle, if the opportunity of victory is assured. Despite the Macedonian phalanx formation being out-dated, their cultivation of Hellenic tactics have shown remarkable success throughout the ancient world.