01-26-2005, 01:21 PM
Yes, like you already said, the main target was to get one line (a wall of shields and spears actually) straight up against the enemy lines. When they had to flee (which didn't happen a lot, certainly not with the Spartans) one by one, starting at the back, the lines had to get their spears up into the air, turn around which was quite hard with a shield of 70-80-90 cm, and start running in full armour. Then the line in front of them had to do so, and eventually when all the lines (8 in the beginning around 800BC and 16 at the time of Alexander) turned around, half of the army was slaughtered by the enemy.<br>
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The main advantage they had was they were almost unbreakable when they could form up in one line, spears in front and march on. But from the moment a gab appeared by a natural obstacle (rocks and so on) or one of the hoplites fell, they were doomed. Or, like the Romans did, missile-units like spearmen of archers were effectively against a phalanx. By the time of Alexander the phalanx existed of 16 man deep and lines 5 to 16 held their spears up into the air to break the impact of missiles. You can imagine it didn't help a lot, though. <p></p><i></i>
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The main advantage they had was they were almost unbreakable when they could form up in one line, spears in front and march on. But from the moment a gab appeared by a natural obstacle (rocks and so on) or one of the hoplites fell, they were doomed. Or, like the Romans did, missile-units like spearmen of archers were effectively against a phalanx. By the time of Alexander the phalanx existed of 16 man deep and lines 5 to 16 held their spears up into the air to break the impact of missiles. You can imagine it didn't help a lot, though. <p></p><i></i>
