EmirHamam on DeviantArthttps://www.deviantart.com/emirhamam/art/Gaugamela-162097819EmirHamam

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Gaugamela

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View from the 6th row of a Macedonian Phalanx at the battle of Gaugamela (modern Iraq), 331 B.C., where 47.000 Macedonian troops commander by Alexander defeated Darius' 240.000 men.

There is some argument about their armor, and we can only especulate if they were standardized or each soldier actually chose what they used, inside a certain uniform pattern, of course. I've chosen a more random and individualized armor.

The macedonian phalanx were the "shield" of the macedonian army, holding the enemy while the cavalry delivered the final blow. The phalangite fought with a 4,5m pike, the sarissa, and the first 5 rows stood slightly angled. That way, the first 5 pikes would be pointing foward, and the poor enemy would have to cross a forest of spears before even getting to the first macedonian. He, then, dropped the sarissa and pulled his short sword, while the 6th man would bring down his sarissa and slow the enemy's advance even more. The other spears were held at an horizontal angle to deflect missiles. when facing from the front, a phalanx was almost impenetrable, be it by foot or, even worse, by horse.
Image size
2338x1673px 1.47 MB
Make
HP
Model
HP pstc3100
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Comments14
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jefffletcher's avatar
Awesome! Especially like the dude in the front row who's looking back in doubt: his expression says it all!