military revolution of the 4-th century

[eugene]

What was the essence of the military revolution in Greek warfare in the 4-th century BC?
Which books or articles (with the exception of Cambridge history of Greek and Roman warfare) tell us about this fascinating theme?

[PMBardunias]

No one seems to have answered this, so for my two cents, there was no revolution. There was simply an evolution in tactics that followed a logical progression over the 5th and 4th C towards more effective use of combined troop types, perhaps best shown by Athens and Thebes, more advanced command structures and drill, spearheaded by Sparta, and larger armies.

[hoplite14gr]

The military revolution might be probably attributed that the sources probably started mentioning some other warriors except heavy infantry an cavalry.
Light infantry existed from the Bronze age but they are considered too unimportant to be mentioned by archaic sources.
Only the re-application of siege warfare seems an innovation to me.
Kind regards

[PMBardunias]

Only the re-application of siege warfare seems an innovation to me.

Greek siege warfare goes back at least to the Spartans on Samos in the 6th c. I think it more a question of frequency and the evolution of better techniques and artillery rather than a revolution.

[Macedon]

I guess the question has to do with the reforms of Iphicrates and the evolution of the Macedonian phalanx, arms and art of warfare. The 4th century was indeed a time of great military innovations in the Greek world.

[Thunder]

And later, the evolution of more mobile heavy infantry forces as opposed to phalanxes.

[PMBardunias]

I guess the question has to do with the reforms of Iphicrates and the evolution of the Macedonian phalanx, arms and art of warfare. The 4th century was indeed a time of great military innovations in the Greek world.

Its not that I would deny the innovation, simply that it was part of an evolution in tactics that began after the Persian wars and accelerated during the Peloponnesian war. If we take the example of one such innovator, Epameinondas, there was very little in his tactics that had not been done before, and the path to his "revolution" is easy to chart. The deepening of ranks traces at least to Pagondas at Delium. Targeting the enemy right was nothing new, the Corinthians did as much at Potidea and Solygeia. If we allow 4th c examples we might add the Spartan Teleutias at Olynthus and of course Pelopidas at Tegyra. Precedents can be easily found for the "new" use of reserves, cavalry, and light troops. Add to this that some "tactics", like refusing the left flank, may in fact never have occurred and there is little left that is unique.