The Dardanians and the Origin of the So-Called “Macedonian Phalanx”

Bibliographic Data

ID22105232
AuthorsPierre O Juhel (United States of America), Pierre Juhel (0000-0003-1043-0242, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume12
Issue1
Pages23-51
Publication date2024-05-14
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Ancient History (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2324-8106 • E-ISSN: 2324-8114
PublisherWalter de Gruyter GmbH (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1515/jah-2023-0006
OpenAlexW4399056169
LanguageEN
References cited19

The Macedonian phalanx, invented by Philip II, is considered to have been a pikeman-phalanx. However, a detailed analysis has shown that the full pikeman-phalanx must have been a later military innovation which was introduced at the beginning of Antigonus Dōsōn’s reign. Before this, the phalanx can only have been one of spearmen, although it is probable that the rear ranks were already armed with pikes. Following a deeper investigation, and taking into consideration forgotten archaeological material from Bosnia-Herzegovina, this article argues that this reform of the Macedonian heavy infantry’s armament occurred as a consequence of Demetrius II’s major military defeat in a pitched battle against the Dardanians in 229 BC

Ancient history · Macedonian · Phalanx · Ancient and Medieval Archaeology Studies · Ancient Near East History · History · Linguistics and language evolution

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