The disposition of an army in lines is nearly all that the ancients of that and the previous ages knew of the military art regarding.battles and engagements. They possessed little knowledge of the advantage of strong positions either for attack or defence ; of an noying an. enemy by cutting off his supplies, or of forcing him to battle under unfavourable circum stances; of securing their flanks by marshes, rivers, or mountains ; or of seizing passes and defiles, by which a small army has been often enabled to resist a greatly superior force.
The art of war was brought to considerable per '. fection by the Greeks, whose battles in general were conducted with science and judgment. The Athe nian army, in the battle of Marathon, was drawn up in such a manner as' to embrace all the advantages of local situation, so as to afford a small body every possible chance of success. against' vastly superior numbers. Miltiades formed his little army at the foot of a mountain, which secured his rear, and by verging towards the sea, also protected his right flank ; and on his left, there was a lake or morass. His flanks were farther protected, by the trunks and branches of trees strewed on the ground, through which the Persian cavalry could not penetrate. As the Athenian army consisted of only 10,000 men, Miltiades could not sufficiently extend his front, and at the same time preserve an equal deepness in his line; he therefore weakened his centre, and strengthened his wings, on which he placed his hopes of success. The enemy bent his principal force against the Athenian centre, which, notwithstanding the efforts of Aristides and Themistocles, was compelled to give ground. But the wings of the Athenian army having broke and dispersed those of the enemy, they attacked the main body of the Persians in flank and in rear, and the Grecian spear overcoming all opposition, a total rout ensued, accompanied by an immense slaughter of ' the barbarians. The judicious disposition of the Athenian army in this. battle compensated for the want of numbers ; and being from this cir cumstance, on an equality with the Persians, it de rived all the advantages that could result from su perior discipline, skill, and valour.
The battle of Leuctra, ohich was fought about 120 years after that of Marathon, affords a fine illus tration of an able disposition in the field, and exhibits, at the same time, the progress of military knowledge among the Greeks. The Lacedemonian army con sisted of 24,000 foot and 16,0(X) horse ; and was drawn up in the form of a crescent, with the cavalry in squadrons, in front of the right wing. The The ban army was only 6000 foot and 400 cavalry in all ; but it was commanded by Epaminondas. The The ban general formed his left wing into a column, fifty deep, composed of heavy armed troops, with the ca valry posted in front, and the whole was flanked by: the Sacred Band under Pelopidas. To guard against
being surrounded by the arms of the Spartan crescent, Epaminondas drew up the right wing of his army, in a direction oblique to the Lacedemoman line, and di verging from it, in proportion to the extension of his ranks.. The action commenced with the onset of the cavalry, and the charge of the sacred band ; which. occasioned considerable confusion in the Lacedemo nian ranks. Epaminondas availed himself of this favourable opportunity, and rapidly forming his co lumn into a wedge, penetrated the right wing of the enemy, and bore down every thing before him. Vic tory crowned his efforts; and to the able disposition of the Theban army we must attribute his success. On his massy column he placed all his hopes, and ju diciously protecting its flanks, where it was only vul nerable, by the sacred band on the one hand, and the oblique line on the other, it was irresistible. The oblique line kept the left wing of the enemy in check, and his right was flanked and attacked by the sacred band. Within a few years afterwards, the battle of Mantinwa was fought by the same general, on the same principle, and attended by similar success. The discovery of the power of a deep battalion in the form of a wedge, belongs to the genius of Epami nondas, and it gave him a decided superiority over his antagonists.
The battle of Chxronea was decided by the power of the Macedonian phalanx ; and Philip selected a place which he considered as well adapted for the ope rations of that body, and altogether disposed his ar my with great judgment and sagacity. The strength of the Macedonian army was 30,000 foot and 2,000 horse. The Greeks were nearly as numerous, but equal in courage and bravery. Philip commanded the right wing, in which the phalanx was stationed, his son Alexander the left, with the Thessalian ca valry. The Athenian forces were opposed to the Macedonian right, and the Thebans, with the sacred band, to the left. Both armies had their allies in the centre. Alexander charged the Thebans, and cut off the sacred band to a man. The Athenians repelled their opposing divisions, and the Macedonian centre gave way. Elated with their partial success, they heedlessly pursued the fugitives, and in the ardour of their impetuo-:ty, neglected to charge the phalanx in flank, which was now unprotected, and where it was only vulnerable. Philip perceived their error, and wheeling the phalanx, rapidly gained an adjacent emi nence, from which it poured down on the disordered Athenians with irresistible force, and determined the destinies of Greece.