In the macedonian cavalry under alexander, those whose special weapon was the sarissa were called on. I found one of alexanders rules interesting no carts, no oxen. The professionalization of the macedonian military the. See more ideas about ancient greece, alexander the great and. I need feedback here, what you think of my box on the right. Before the macedonian army crossed the hellespont, the mainstay of their infantry comprised the pezhetairoi or foot companions men who the formed up the dreaded anvil of the phalanx. The macedonian king ordered his entire army to deploy for battle. Tensions escalated and rome declared war on macedon. The pezhetairoi were the heavy infantry in the macedonian army. Alexander the great and the logistics of the macedonian army.
Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from wikipedia or other free sources online. He was antiroman and stirred antiroman feelings around macedonia. From his father king philip of macedonia he inherited a versatile, welltrained army unlike anything that had ever existed. Ancient macedonia the gaul in macedonian army published on jun 1, 2015 simple and easy to understand retrospective of periods from ancient macedonian history and culture. If the soldier was using a bow, he would likely be a skirmisher, and would not be armoured. History of macedonia ancient macedonian army prodromoi.
The macedonian army under philip ii, based on meritocracy. Numbering around 9,000, these infantrymen were divided into six battalions taxeis each comprising three lochoi. Along with thessalian cavalry contingents, the companions raised from landed nobility made up the bulk of the macedonian heavy cavalry. It was created and made formidable by king philip ii of macedon. I think macedonian army should remain a disambiguation page, but this article should be moved to something less ambigious, such as ancient macedonian army, or possibly even macedonian army ancient kingdom, mirroring macedonia ancient kingdom. Engels this is a great book, full of facts, dates, maps, tables and a extensive bibliography.
Essentially an ancient greek people, they gradually expanded from their homeland along the haliacmon valley on the northern edge of the greek world, absorbing or driving out neighbouring nongreek. If i had a choice, i know which army i would like to be in the macedonian army was a professional army, highly organised particularly in the alexandrian age. Alexander goes to egypt, to visit the oracle of jupiter ammon. It was brought on by the alliance of philip v of macedonia and hannibal of carthage following philips naval expedition against illyria in 216 and then again, in 214 followed by landbased conquests. As with any plodding ancient formation, the macedonian hoplite was susceptible to ranged weapons particularly from archers, slingers or javelinthrowing peltasts. Some of the macedonians tried to steal the animal, and the romans fought back. The macedonian war machine 359281 bc karunanithy, david on. Macedonian armies after alexander 323168 bc menatarms.
The last battle ever fought by the macedonian army ended in defeat. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. He is an artist that tended to go for impact and vividness. The oldest evidence of macedonian written tradition which deal with the wars between the zets of different zetas dates back to the neolithic period.
The most comprehensive and uptodate work available on ancient macedonian history and material culture, a companion to ancient macedonia is an invaluable reference for students and scholars alike. And mirroring the honored units of their cavalry counterparts, the pezhetairoi. Ancient macedonia the gaul in macedonian army by basil. Armies of the macedonian and punic wars is an important member of the wrg ltd armies and enemies series. Previously we have covered the evolution of the greek armies prior to. Philip ii was born in 382 bc, in pella, the capital of the ancient macedonian. They could fight inn the traditional greekhoplite formation when armed with a hoplite shield and spear of traditional length. Perhaps one of the most characteristic written documents of the macedonian prehistoric chroniclers is the text from osinchani, near skopje, which is engraved in a stone in the shape of a long. It was created and made formidable by king philip ii of. The historic emblem of the macedonians is the star pattern. The macedonian army a companion to ancient macedonia. Check out this playlist to learn more about the warfare of the ancient. Pdf honour in the ranks of alexander the greats army.
Philip and rome settled with each other so rome could go focus on carthage. Since 2005, it is a fully professional defense force compatible with nato standards. Together, alexander and his father would create an army unlike anything the ancient world had even seen. Additionally, only officers, heavy cavalry and the front ranks of the sarissa phalanx wore armour in the macedonian army during the reign of philip, not bowmen. Macedonian army battle tactics cavalry cavalry greek infantry in normal formation thessalian cavalry to stop enemy outflanking macedonian phalanx used as a holding force hypaspists used to keep contact between phalanx and companion cavalry companion cavalry used to deliver the main blow light. March 16, 2014 by danko1976 tagged ancient armies, the macedonian army. The army of the kingdom of macedon was among the greatest military forces of the ancient world. A series of wars during which the romans gained control over greece and destroyed the macedonian kingdom. C is a defense force consisting of an army and air force.
They fought over the territory, which remained under ottoman sovereignty, with propaganda and armed force and against each other and the nascent macedonian nationalists. Pages in category ancient macedonian army the following 6 pages are in this category, out of 6 total. To ensure that macedon would never again threaten the stability. Im going to cheat a little and name armies after byzantine regiments. First published in 1983, it has long been outofprint and we are delighted to make it available once more. Engels does a wonderful job explaining what it took to move the macedonian army from point a to point b. An important but often overlooked part of the macedonian army. See my notes on macedonian numbers and unit organisations for how the macedonian units amongst these were organised in the field, the macedonian army was divided into two halves, the left being commanded by parmenio, the right by alexander. He immediately initiated a series of military reforms. Keep in mind that this is a presentation to give you an understanding for the principal functions of this army and not an illustration of an actual battle, for those you have to alter the army. Both army commanders had been waiting for a spark to start the battle, and perseus acted first. Parmenio, antipater, attalus 1, generals, friends of the king companions, alexander commanded the companion cavalry 3. The professionalisation of the macedonian army helped to develop the type of group solidarity that surfaced, for.
The third macedonian war 171168 bc was a war fought between the roman republic and king perseus of macedon. They were more flexible than their greek counterparts, the hoplites. The following year, perseus was dethroned and made captive. Quintus curtius, history of alexander loeb classical library. Angus mcbrides paintings for ospreys the army of alexander the great is very colourful but i suspect that the late artist got a bit carried away at times. Fresco of a macedonian soldier, from the tomb of agios athanasios, 4th century bc. Much has been written on aspects of macedonian warfare. Soon light infantry and skirmishers from both sides began to slowly escalate the conflict. When philip ii became king of macedonia in 359 bce, he inherited an army that was relatively ineffective. In 179 bc king philip v of macedon died and was succeeded by his ambitious son perseus. The army of alexander the great ancient history encyclopedia.
Thessaly, second macedonian war, 200197 bc, angus mcbride macedonia and the aegean world c. Features new, specially commissioned essays by leading and upandcoming scholars in the field. The army that emerged from the reforms of philip ii of macedon proved to be without equal in the period covered and one of the most successful in the whole of the ancient period. Was the macedonian phalanx more effective than hoplites. Its troops were like many other armies in antiquity only partly recruited from the kingdom itself. Macedonian wars, 3rd and 2nd centuries bc, four conflicts between the ancient roman republic and the kingdom of macedonia.
Institute of archaeology, gdansk university, poland. The phalanx properly supported by its cavalry and light forces with an alexander or phillip ii would probably overwhelm the legions who at the time were more akin to the greek hoplites. The victory against the illyrians ushered in an age of macedonian expansion. They caused increasing involvement by rome in greek affairs and helped lead to roman domination of the entire eastern mediterranean area. The difficulty of the journey because of the intolerable heat and the lack of water is exaggerated by the natives, but alexander was undaunted and reached the abode of the oracle, which is described.
Otherwise the plan was to name armies after the founding general plus the province the were recruited in, with a number. Osprey series products that cover ancient history are about pictures and reconstructions with just enough text to tie the book together. The first macedonian war was a diversion during the punic wars. A often overlooked and not so active part of almost any army or military system, but not lesser important. Not only linked to the normal soldiers and king in society but also on the.
Ancient macedonian army prodromoisarissophoroiscouts. The aim of the reform program of the armed forces of the republic of macedonia 20022007 is to establish efficient and sustainable structure of forces having capacity to. Animation presents the tactics of the ancient macedonian army. Ancient macedonian military equipment, cavalry units and formations of macedon. Alexander the great and the logistics of the macedonian army by donald w. The macedonian formation caused the illyrian wing to stretch and once there was a gap, the hetairoi were able to charge into it driving a great wedge green 1991 2325. The army of the republic of north macedonia macedonian. The macedonian war machine 359281 bc by david karunanithy.
A companion to ancient macedonia wiley online books. The army of alexander the great could be called macedonian because it fought for the macedonian king. Ancient macedonia the gaul in macedonian army issuu. The prolonged struggle culminated in 19 with the forceful partition of macedonia and the macedonians after the second balkan, or. Unlimited viewing of the articlechapter pdf and any associated supplements and figures. Now we coming to the cavalry of the macedonians, first of all the light version, you could also call them peltast on horse. Phalanxes remained dominant on battlefields throughout the ancient macedonian period, although wars had. The macedonian hoplites armament was topped off with his sword, which was unsheathed in closecombat once the sarissas range was no longer an advantage. Armies of the macedonian and punic wars by duncan head. Check out the updated and final version of this mod behold the power of the macedonians the ones that made hellenic culture and the ones that took over the w. Sekunda is a wellknown expert on hellenistic arms and clothing and here, he produces an excellent picture essay.
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