PHALANX (Lat. phalanx, from Gk. odi.a)f, line of battle, row of soldiers, rotund piece of wood, joint between the fingers and toes). The ancient Greek name for the heavy infantry in line of battle. The heavy-armed hoplites were only of service when stationed in a lung straight line in dose order. In the Homeric poems there are only shadowy traces of a regular line of battle, and the development of the typical Greek formation seems to have been largely the work of the Spartans during their struggles for su premacy iu the Peloponnesus. As the principle of fo•Hnation was the desire to present an equal line to the enemy, the depth and formation de pended on circumstances. The usual depth seems to have been eight men, but .Aliltiades at Marathon weakened his centre in order to extend his line, and at Delium the Theban column was twenty-five deep. It is not until the fourth century B.C. that we find other troops of prac tical importance in deciding the Greek battles. During that century the improved equipment of the peltasts, or light-armed troops, made them able to meet the phalanx, if able to choose their ground and avoid the direct attack. Epaininon das gave a new direction to the art of war by replacing the old attack along the whole line with the decisive onset of one wing, drawn up in a heavy column (at Leuctra fifty deep), while the rest of the line in ordinary depth served to cheek the enemy. Philip of Macedon learned his military science at Thebes, and reorganized his army by the introduction of a regular in fantry besides the hereditary eavalry of the nobles. These soldiers were armed with a small shield, about eighteen inches in diameter, eo•slets, and long spears, and fought in closer order than was usual among the Greeks. This phalanx seems to have been a mobile body. but probably Philip and certainly Alexander relied rather on the heavy cavalry as the offensive force, and used the phalanx to hold the main line of the enemy in cheek, while the cavalry crushed his wing or turned his flank. The phalanx of
Alexander seems to have had pikes of different lengths, the longest being about seventeen feet, and of course requiring the use of both hands. Though intended to fight in line as a single mass, it was also capable of breaking into small tactical units able to mauceuvre separately, if the nature of the ground or the development of the battle made it desirable. The successors of Alexander gradually changed his fundamental principles, and depended again upon the phalanx to decide the day. This led to even closer massing of men and increase of the length of the lances, till the mass became irresistible if unbroken, but unwieldy and utterly helpless if broken by un even ground. as was proved in many a battle against the Roman legions. This later phalanx was regularly drawn up sixteen men deep, and either about three feet apart, body included, or only about eighteen inches with shields touch ing: a formation which made any turning on the part of individuals impossible. The lances were about twenty feet long, and those of the first five ranks projected in front: the others held their spears over the shoulders of their com rades, ready to drop them if occasion arose. Consult : Droysen, "Griechische Kriegsalter thfimer," in Hermann, der griechischen Antiquitatea (Freiburg, 1888) ; Bailer, in :11filler's Handbuch der klassiselren• Altcrtums wissen.schaft, vol. iv. (Munich, 1893) ; Delbriich, Gcschiehte der Kriegskunst (Berlin, 1900) ; Lam mert, Polybios end dic romisehe Taktik. (Leipzig, 18S9).