• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

WCF

History, politics, and culture articles and forum discussions.

You are here: Home / Topics / Who defeated the Greek phalanx?

- By

Who defeated the Greek phalanx?

Home › Forums › Ancient Civilizations › Who defeated the Greek phalanx?

  • This topic has 6 voices and 16 replies.
Viewing 3 posts - 16 through 18 (of 18 total)
← 1 2
  • Author
    Posts
  • August 23, 2010 at 8:36 pm #21214 Reply
    scout1067
    Participant

    Pop quiz, without looking: at which battle did the supremacy of the phalanx meet its end, and what were the reasons for its demise?

    Here is a straight answer with no quibbling that I am prepared to argue, that also stays entirely within the classical period.  The traditional Greek Hoplite phalanx was first decisively defeated at the Battle of Chaeronea in 338 B.C. by Philip the Great of Macedon.  The main reason for it's defeat was the Macedonian use of the Sarissa instead of the traditional Hoplite spear.

    August 23, 2010 at 8:44 pm #21215 Reply
    DonaldBaker
    Participant

    Neither cavalry nor ranged/light infantry could break a phalanx.  Both could nip at it and wear it down but the point of phalangeal combat was to make battle quick and decisive, neither cavalry or light infantry could be decisive when fighting Hoplites formed in battle array.  Except for a short interregnum during the middle ages heavy infantry as been THE decisive combat arm for almost all of recorded history.  Cavalry has never been able to break an infantry formation.  Anyone with riding experience can tell you that horses will not run at or into an immovable object such as that presented by formed infantry, they have to be tricked into doing it.

    Didn't Longstreet do this at the Battle of Chickamauga?  I know ultimately Thomas prevented the total rout, but didn't he use cavalry to crush the Union flank and collapse their lines?  Or did he do it with his infantry and merely assisted by his cavalry? 

    August 23, 2010 at 9:01 pm #21216 Reply
    scout1067
    Participant

    Longstreet exploited a gap the Union created in their lines while maneuvering and did not have to break any infantry formations, the Union did that for him.  You are correct in that his infantry played the main part.  Cavalry is an exploitation and pursuit force against infantry.  It is much easier to kill your opponent when he is running away, that is why the loser always suffers higher casualties if his forces rout and the winner has the reserves available for pursuit or did not exhaust their main army too much in achieving the victory.  Even today victory is determined by possesses the field after a battle, no mater how large or small.

  • Author
    Posts
Viewing 3 posts - 16 through 18 (of 18 total)
← 1 2
Reply To: Reply #21214 in Who defeated the Greek phalanx?
Your information:




Primary Sidebar

Login

Log In
Register Lost Password

Blog Categories

Search blog articles

Before Footer

  • Did Julian the Apostate’s plan ever have a chance?

    Julian the Apostate stands as an enigmatic figure among Roman emperors, ascending to power in 361 AD …

    Read More

    Did Julian the Apostate’s plan ever have a chance?
  • The Babylonian Bride

    Marriage customs in Ancient Babylon Ancient Babylonia was a society, which, although it did not …

    Read More

    The Babylonian Bride
  • The fall of Athens

    In 407 B.C. and again in 405 B.C.. the Spartans in alliance with their old enemies, the Persians, …

    Read More

    The fall of Athens

Footer

Posts by topic

2016 Election Alexander Hamilton American Revolution archaeology Aristotle Ben Franklin Black Americans Charles Dickens Christianity Christmas Constantine Custer's Last Stand Egypt email engineering England forum security Founding Fathers France future history George Washington Germany Greece hacker Hitler Industrial Revolution Ireland James Madison Jewish medieval military history Paleolithic philosophy pilgrimage Rome Russia SEO Slavery Socrates spammer technology Trump World War I World War II Year In Review

Recent Topics

  • Midsummer Night: June 25th
  • Testing out a new feature
  • Did Julian the Apostate’s plan ever have a chance?
  • Release of the JFK Files
  • What was the greatest military advancement of all time?

RSS Ancient News

Recent Forum Replies

  • Going to feature old posts
  • What’s new?
  • Testing out a new feature
  • Testing out a new feature
  • Testing out a new feature

Copyright © 2025 · Contact

Insert/edit link

Enter the destination URL

Or link to existing content

    No search term specified. Showing recent items. Search or use up and down arrow keys to select an item.