^He's talking about Carthage where you don't get a phanlanx type unit until pheoni infantry. Carthaginian infantry units go
town militia
iberian infantry
libyan infantry
pheoni infantry
sacred band infantry

Libyan spearmen are the first decent footman unit that carthage gets and that's not until minor city with it's barracks type. Iberain swordsmen are useless going up against even hastati, as they have only a small shield and leather armour. The only thing there good for is chasing down skirmishers.