The maps, if a bit creative, are quite good, and most of the illustrations are useful. Which would win a pitched battle—a phalanx or a legion? This transformation was likely a result of the Samnite wars fought in the varied mountainous terrain of central Italy where the Romans needed a more adaptable formation. Philip decided to take the initiative and marched out first with the right half of his phalanx, so that they could take the hill and attack downhill. Retrieved from https://www.ancient.eu/video/1830/. Initially adopting a hoplite style phalanx due to influence from Southern Italian Hellenic colonies, the army eventually transformed into the flexible manipular legion. This powerful Hellenic formation allowed the ancient Greeks to hold off the powerful Persian invasion and spread Hellenic culture throughout the Mediterranean. The Roman victory in the Battle of Cynoscephalae ( 197 BC ) marked the end of the Second Macedonian War between Rome and Philip V, king of Macedon. Both are brilliant commanders but Alexander never faced an equal commander, Caesar did, Vercingetorix or Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus to Name the most famous ones. The tight formation with the average phalangites taking up a frontage of three feet meant that, theoretically, the average soldier, who needed twice the frontage to operate with sword or spear, faced a total of ten spear points. The battle is considered one of the best examples of manipular Roman legion superiority over the Macedonian phalanx in terms of flexibility and combat maneuvering. The reconstruction of the battle is based on Polybius account from Histories,book 18, 24-27. The battles selected are interesting and highlights each formation’s weaknesses and strengths. Problem is that phalanx is a formation, 'legion' is a unit..it's like comparing apples to elephants. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. One player takes the role of Pyrrhus and his Greek, Siracusan, and Tarentine forces, while the other controls Rome and her allies. There are several key differences in the formations. The battle is considered one of the best examples of manipular Roman legion superiority over the Macedonian phalanx in terms of flexibility and combat maneuvering. The Roman legion proved itself superior against both. In celebration of the book, please leave a comment detailing what you think is a classic legion vs phalanx battle. Phalanx vs Legion: Battle of Cynoscephalae. In small groups at first, the Romans dove into these narrow gaps in the lines and fought to widen them. Last edited by Phalanx300; 11-17-2009 at 13:25. Cole’s work spans a time period from approximately the 3rd through the 2nd century BC battlefields with a discipline focus. From the time of Ancient Sumeria, the heavy infantry phalanx dominated the battlefield. Armed with spears or pikes, standing shoulder-to-shoulder and with overlapping shields, they presented an impenetrable wall of metal to the enemy until the Roman legion eclipsed the phalanx … My negative thoughts on … The javelins thrown by the maniples were also an effective formation breaking tool used to lessen the impact of enemy charges or create holes to exploit with their own charge. “Legion vs.Phalanx: The Credibility of Polybius 18.28–32,” paper delivered at the 124th Annual The game covers the invasions of Southern Italy and Sicily by Pyrrhus, and his campaigns against Rome and Carthage. The javelins thrown by the maniples were also an effective formation breaking tool used to lessen the impact of enemy charges or create holes to exploit with their own charge. The Macedonians outnumbered the Romans about 44,000 to 29,000 but both forces were equal in cavalry. As gaps grew, more, presumably fresh, men from the rear lines were fed through to completely infiltrate dozens of segments of the phalanx and the Macedonians soon broke. The battles certainly showcase the manipular legion’s flexibility over the powerful but stiff Macedonian phalanx, but it would have been impossible with all the different variables to find a perfect battlefield matchup of the two formations. The flexibility of the maniples allowed them to surround and destroy each unit until the rest of Philip’s forces fled. Carthage is a neutral power that can ally with either side. Original video by Syntagma. The Roman legions did meet both the Macedonian phalanx (the more advanced version of the traditional Greek hoplite phalanx, which rendered the hoplite obsolete), as well the the older Greek hoplite phalanx. The two formations actually met in battle a handful of times with varied results. Please help us create teaching materials on Mesopotamia (including several complete lessons with worksheets, activities, answers, essay questions, and more), which will be free to download for teachers all over the world. The expanding early Roman Republic found the Greek phalanx formation too Ancient History Encyclopedia. I'm often asked questions such as this: The earliest Roman ventures across the Adriatic had occurred before the Second Punic War. $4.5 million buys you a P51 Mustang & twenty, yes TWENTY Merlin engines! Pyrrhus won these battles but the maniples put forth a valiant effort and caused heavy casualties. Myke Cole’s biography is diverse and he brings that diversity into the book. In his histories, Polybius directly address the strengths and weakness of both formations. This victory was mainly due to poorly commanded troops on Perseus's name (note, not Alexander hehe). Armed with spears or pikes, standing shoulder to shoulder with shields interlocking, the men of the phalanx presented an impenetrable wall of wood and metal to the enemy. The two armies lined up, each splitting the cavalry on the wings and the Macedonian phalanx advanced. The Roman manipular legion and the Macedonian phalanx were each pivotal factors in the successes of their states, but was one formation actually better than the other? Why did the legion ultimately triumph on the field of battle? At the battle of Beneventum a few years later the Romans finally prevailed, with help from Pyrrhus’ elephants which charged back into his own lines. By M32, the Phalanx was already in a state of decay. Three major battles were fought with the first two being Pyrrhic victories for Pyrrhus. Not sure how many accounts there are of the Hoplite Phalanx vs the Legion. This book is a interesting analysis of the struggle between the legion and the phalanx. 1 vs 1 the Legion won't stand a chance.

From the time of Ancient Sumeria, the heavy infantry phalanx dominated the battlefield. Posted on May 3, 2018 by MSW. The individual soldier of the phalanx was tied to the cohesion of his unit, but had the safety of multiple spearheads between the front row and the enemy. ———. Each of the battles mention featured varying skill and experiences for the commanders and the armies in general. "Phalanx vs Legion: Battle of Cynoscephalae." Please check the original source(s) for copyright information. This transformation was likely a result of the Samnite wars fought in the varied mountainous terrain of central Italy where the Romans needed a more adaptable formation. According to independent scholar Myke Cole, we needn’t rely on … The reconstruction of the battle is based on Polybius account from Histories,book 18 , 24-27. The cavalry fight was even but as soon as the infantry ran the cavalry followed suit. Romans were fiercely brave, and it took quite a feat of bravery to be among the first to jump into an enemy formation bristling with spears to open up gaps for your fellow soldiers. “The Legion as Phalanx,” Chiron 9:303–18. Legion Versus Phalanx: The Epic Struggle for Infantry Supremacy in the Ancient World, by Myke Cole, Osprey Publishing, Oxford, U.K., 2018, $30. USS Nevada Found Off Coast Of Pearl Harbour, Special Forces Jerry “Mad Dog” Shriver Packed as Many as Six Revolvers, Sawn off Shotgun & His Regular Machine Gun. While Alexander’s empire grew and fragmented, The Romans were busy with their arduous task of conquering Italy. Most of its vast docking bays were deserted, and the Imperium's inability to replicate its ancient technologies resulted in even minor damage creating signific… Syntagma, . My negative thoughts on … Initially adopting a hoplite style phalanx due to influence from Southern Italian Hellenic colonies, the army eventually transformed into the flexible manipular legion. The individual Roman had more room to operate, with a large shield and effective sword allowing them to confidently engage and defend individually and as a group by locking shields. Maksimus. The exact method of this formation engaging in battle has been questioned due to the large gaps, but it seems that the gaps remained while engaged to allow the rear lines through to support when needed. In a straight up fight which would win, the legion or the phalanx? This last battle shows the small unit tactics for which the maniple was built towards but also shows how well the maniple fit the Romans as a people. This transformation was likely a result of the Samnite wars fought in the varied mountainous terrain of central Italy where the Romans needed a more adaptable formation. 'a handful') was a tactical unit of the Roman Republic adopted during the Samnite Wars (343–290 BC). The Ancient History Encyclopedia logo is a registered EU trademark. In the foreground, a maniple has exploited a gap in the arrayed pikes of the white shield phalanx. You need variety; missile and cavalry troops give you options. True? The Roman manipular formation was quite a unique layout. With three lines, one behind the other the Romans deployed in separate maniples with each line having a maniple-sized gap between units, with those gaps covered by the next line back creating a checkerboard formation. The maps, if a bit creative, are quite good, and most of the illustrations are useful. The battle is considered the main example of manipular roman legion superiority over the macedonian phalanx in terms of flexibility and combat maneuvering. Ancient History Encyclopedia Limited is a non-profit company registered in the United Kingdom. After the fall of mighty Carthage in the Second Punic War (202 BC) Rome began to prepare for the invasion of Greece. The organization from Homeric style hero warfare to tightly packed hoplite warfare was world changing. Meanwhile, the remaining Roman right wing advanced up the hill and met the rest of Philips army as they were arriving in bunches. https://www.ancient.eu/video/1830/. (2000-year-old spoiler alert: The legion wins) The question explored in this book is: Why. We have also been recommended for educational use by the following publications: Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. Initially adopting a hoplite style phalanx due to influence from Southern Italian Hellenic colonies, the army eventually transformed into the flexible manipular legion. The only phalanx with that level of experience would have been Alexander IIIs, and he basically never got into a situation where his phalanx needed to adapt to a changing situation.

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