| Show A Ph phalanx Inz A phalanx in the military affairs of greece was a square battalion or body of soldiers sol diera formed in ranks and files compact and deep with their shields joined and pikes crossing each other so as to render it almost impossible to break it at first the phalanx consisted of men but this number was after bartl do doubled by phili philip of macedon n and the double phalanx is hence benca often called the macedonian pha phalanx laar po I 1 polybius IY describes it thus it was a square of pi kemen consisting of sixteen in flank and in front the soldiers stood so c lose close together that the pikes pieres of the fifth rank extended three feet beyond the front the rest whose a pikes were not serviceable owing to their distance from the front couched them upon shoulders of those who stood before them and so locking them together in file pressed forward to support and push on the former rank by which means the assault was wai rendered more violent and irresistible the spears of those behind also stopped the missiles of the enem each mans pike was twenty three feet long the word phalanx is also used for any combination of people distinguished for solidity and firmness A grand phalanx consisted of men brooklyn eagle |
