
Originally Posted by
JinandJuice
The Romans would often exploit the gaps and rips of phalanxes as they advance through uneven terrain. Once the Roman infantry infiltrated through the sarissa, their superior melee skills would allow them to cut the phalangites to pieces.
The battle of Pydna is one of the best examples of the exploitation of the weakness of the phalanx. Lucius Aemilius Paulus originally had the whole Roman front engage Perseus's phalanx, but after being unable to penetrate the wall of pikes, and having the line pushing the Romans back, Aemilius saw that portions of the phalanx had clefts and intervals in it, and that some were hard pressed while others were pressing forward. Paulus therefore ordered the Romans to attack in small sections, disrupting the Macedonian line. Once the Romans got between the ranks, the phalangites would face a soldier trained for close combat, whilst having only a dagger and a small shield to protect himself.
The Romans won decisively, having killed ~25,000 while having lost ~100.
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