The "Fred thread": the Argead Macedonian Army

[Paralus]

There is no pictorial evidence I have seen but I have this question. Could the ranks of the pikemen alternate weaponry? In lines First,Third, Fifth, etc.= Sarissa men and Second,Fourth,Sixth,etc.= Dory/Longche Men. This "could" be effective but I am no expert on these tactics.

I know of no evidence for such. The only mixed armament phalanx was Alexander's experiment - due to making do with what was available - with integrated Persians armed in their "traditional" fashion.

Much has already been said here that I would have. It needs to be noted that Alexander, clearly, felt the need for his sarisa-armed infantry. A need strong enough to see him train 30,000 Asians over 3-4 years in that Macedonian manner. This is a serious phalanx and he obviously saw it as the arm of his foot. This also suggests that there was more to Alexander's phalanx than could be picked up in a month or so and it would seem these fellows went through something of a Macedonian agoge: the "full learning" of some sort (Nooo! I'm not claiming the Macedonians appropriated the agoge...) The drill outside of Pelium and the fact that his phalanx overcame the threats of Issos, Gaugamela and Hydaspes also speaks to this. Polybius will have been (was, in fact, regarding Issos) aghast that such was achieved with what, in his day, seemed a ponderous beast.