The Pushing Match

[jirisys]

And yes you right, keeping people at a distance was exactly what the spear was invented for.

I think it was more for "killing people at a distance".

I could move past a spear by just parrying it to my side. In combat, possibly 4 people in my line would have died trying it, the 5th would have gone hand to hand with the spearmen.

The hoplite shield wall was different, since you couldn't get past the spears because they were so close to the men.

~Jirisys ()

[fomalhaut]

why would the main fighting unit of this age/area only be about 'keeping them away from eachother', rather than being able to kill eachother from farther away? I understand Phalangites long spears meant solely to tie up enemies so the hammer can come down, but im assuming these tactics weren't utilized interpolis warfare.

[jirisys]

why would the main fighting unit of this age/area only be about 'keeping them away from eachother', rather than being able to kill eachother from farther away? I understand Phalangites long spears meant solely to tie up enemies so the hammer can come down, but im assuming these tactics weren't utilized interpolis warfare.

My point exactly, but phalangites also had casualties from hand to hand, imagine a 50 men line pushing into the spears, one of them might as well pass or crack all the spears. I think it was more of a deterrer and steamroller rather than a true impenetrable block.

~Jirisys ()

[fomalhaut]

definitely, but i doubt the average phalangite had the intention of stabbing as many insert here* as possible, but rather keeping those dirty insert heres* far away as possible until the peltasts/cavalry flank and rout them.

I just read that Gauls and Romans would often attempt to chop off the heads of sarissae as to render them useless.