Sarissa
The sarissa or sarisa
Composition and utility
The sarissa is made of two core parts: a long wooden shaft and a metal tip. A third part that may have existed for some sarissas was a metal spear-butt at the reverse end. The metal butt of the sarissa could be used to safely stow it in the ground without damaging the shaft when not in use.[3]
Two types of wood are favored as likely candidates for the shaft:
Ancient authorities are unanimous in saying the sarissa was distinguished by its great length, which made it difficult for opposing soldiers to safely engage phalangites. Exactly how long this length was is less clear, as different authors give varying descriptions, ancient units of measurement were not always consistent nor precise, and the wood used to create the Hellenistic sarissas has long since rotted away making archaeological evidence lacking. Many historians consider
In the scholarship based on Andronikos' discoveries and his and Markle's journal articles, it is thought that the sarissa was heavy for a spear, weighing approximately 5.5 to 6.5 kg (12 to 14 lb).[note 4] Later reconstructions have suggested that this may have been too heavy—Peter Connolly was able to reconstruct an infantry spear 5.8 meters long of cherry wood that weighed only 4.05 kg (9 lb),[15] and an ash-wood spear would have been even lighter.
One possibility considered by some scholars is that to make such prodigiously long pikes, two separate tree branches were joined by a metal tube. This theory rested on the identification of such a tube in Andronikos's Vergina finds as perhaps being the middle part of a sarissa, along with cornel wood being difficult to grow out to the longest lengths described.[16] This theory has largely been discarded, though, as making an unwieldly weapon that is likely to break.
Shields
Infantry sarissa wielders in a phalanx generally also used a shield. An inscription in the
Cavalry version
The Macedonian army of Alexander's time featured a unit of light cavalry (prodromoi) called the sarissophoroi who also wielded sarissas, albeit somewhat shorter versions. However, the term "sarissophoroi" eventually stops showing up in literature in the later Hellenistic age. Most surviving depictions of Macedonian cavalry depict it wielded under-arm, but it probably could have been wielded over-arm as well.[23]
While Hellenistic cavalry frequently wielded spears, whether their weapon is best classed as a shorter version of the sarissa or as a
Tactics
The standard Hellenistic army deployment was to have a heavy infantry phalanx in the center, cavalry on the sides capable of threatening to flank the enemy or to attack weak spots, and light infantry skirmishers such as slingers or javelineers in the front. Of these, the infantry phalanxes wielded sarissas, and the cavalry wielded somewhat shorter spears of which may or may not have qualified as a "sarissa".[27]
While marching and maneuvering, infantry sarissas were held vertically. Once the sarissas were leveled (that is, pointed horizontally forward for battle), the phalanx could advance straight forward, but turning the phalanx would be more difficult and require training and discipline. The sarissa was already so long that thrusting them forward likely didn't extend their range much, comparatively — perhaps around an additional 0.5 m (1.6 ft).[15]
The sarissa-bearing phalanx would usually march to battle in open formation to facilitate movement. Before the charge, it would tighten its files to close formation or even compact formation (synaspismos). The tight formation of the phalanx created a "wall of pikes", and the pike was so long that there were fully five rows of them projecting in front of the front rank of men—even if an enemy got past the first row, there were still four more to stop him. The back rows bore their pikes angled upwards in readiness, which served the additional purpose of deflecting incoming arrows.[28]
The Macedonian phalanx was considered practically invulnerable from the front. Another phalanx could perhaps wear a phalanx down in a long battle from exhaustion, but this was far from guaranteed. The best way to defeat one was generally by one of a loss of morale from killing the enemy commander, breaking its formation, or
Its force, while it is compact and bristling with extended spears, is irresistible; but if, by attacking them separately, you force them to turn about their spears, which, on account of their length and weight, are unwieldy, they are mingled in a confused mass; and, if any disorder arises on the flank or rear, they fall into irretrievable disorder. (...) had [the Romans] advanced with their entire line, straight against the phalanx when in its regular order, just as happened to the Pelignians, who, in the beginning of the battle, incautiously engaged the targeteers; they would have impaled themselves on the spears, and would have been unable to withstand such a firm body.
One possible technique that could have been used with a sarissa is planting them directly in the ground if an enemy charge was thought to be imminent.
Phalangites would carry a backup weapon, generally a sword or dagger. If a phalanx broke formation, or if a lone soldier found himself in close combat, the sarissa was nearly useless as a weapon, and the backup weapon would be used instead.[16]
History of use
The adoption of the sarissa by the Macedonian infantry is usually credited to
The sarissa remained the core of Hellenistic armies of the Diadochi successor states to Alexander's empire.
The word remained in use throughout the Byzantine years to sometimes describe the long spears of their own infantry.
See also
Notes
- ^ Ancient Greeks used both the σάρισα (sarisa) and the σάρισσα (sarissa) form when spelling the word in Koine Greek.[1]
- Minor Markle, and Peter Connolly. Cornel is stronger and tougher, but doesn't grow as long, suggesting either shorter sarissas or some kind of combination shaft hewed from multiple lumber strands.
- Nicholas Victor Sekunda suggests that it might have been a spearhead, but one only used on ceremonial spears meant as a badge of rank (similar to the later use of spontoons as symbols of authority), perhaps by royal somatophylakes ("bodyguards") given that the wielder apparently merited a tomb.[9] Connolly also writes that smaller spearheads were found at Vergina as well, and that these smaller spearheads should be taken as the default form.[8]
- ^ Although in terms of total equipment weight, a Hellenistic soldier's kit may still have been lighter than a Roman soldier's, which is estimated at not less than 20 kg (44 lb)[14]
References
- ^ Sekunda 2013, pp. 78–81; Sekunda is citing Alejandro Noguera Borel's L'évolution de la phalange macédonienne- le cas de la sarisse (1999).
- ^ Sekunda 2001, pp. 16–18.
- ^ Sekunda 2001, pp. 30–36.
- ^ a b Sekunda 2001, pp. 22–30.
- ^ Lammert 1920.
- ^ a b Connolly 2000, pp. 106–107.
- ^ Markle 1977, pp. 324–326.
- ^ a b c d e Connolly 2000, pp. 103–106.
- ^ a b Sekunda 2001, pp. 18–22.
- ^ Sekunda 2001, pp. 13–17.
- ^ Polybius. "The Histories, 18.29".
- Theophratus. Enquiry into Plants. Translated by Hort, Arthur Fenton. pp. 234–235.
The height of the 'male' tree is at most twelve cubits, the length of the longest Macedonian spear, the stem up to the point where it divides not being very tall.
- ^ a b Campbell 2014.
- ^ ISBN 9780521206679.
- ^ a b Connolly 2000, pp. 109–112.
- ^ a b c Fox 1973, pp. 76–81.
- Blinkenberg, Christian; Kinch, Karl Frederik (1941). Lindos. Fouilles de l'Acropole, 1902-1914. Volume 2: Inscriptions (in French). p. 181. Cited by Sekunda 2013, pp. 81–85.
- ^ a b Sekunda 2013, pp. 81–85.
- ^ Markle 1977, pp. 324–326, Connolly 2000, pp. 109–112. The main ancient source indicating use of a strap or similar device is Plutarch, Parallel Lives, in his work on Cleomenes 11.2. The account says Cleomenes III decided to equip a phalanx in the Macedonian manner, and that the shield was used with a ὀχάνης (ochane), which could be literally translated as "handle".
- ^ Sekunda 2013, pp. 94–95.
- ^ Markle 1982, p. 91.
- ^ a b c Sekunda 2001, pp. 37–40.
- ^ a b c Connolly 2000, pp. 107–109.
- ^ Markle 1982, pp. 104–105.
- ^ Markle 1977, p. 106.
- ^ Sekunda 2013, pp. 78–81.
- ^ Sekunda 2001, pp. 25, 37–40.
- )
- ^ Livy (1850) [1st century BCE]. "The History of Rome, Book 44". Translated by McDevitte, William A.
- ^ Markle 1977, pp. 323–324.
- ^ Markle 1978, p. 483.
- ^ Fox 1973, pp. 76–79.
- ^
- 11th century, Michael Attaleiates, The History, A.1047
- 6th century, Agathias Scholasticus, Histories, B.43
- ^ Markle 1982, p. 109; Sekunda 2001, pp. 14–18, 22–23; Connolly 2000, pp. 103–106
- Machiavelli, Niccolo (1675) [1521]. Neville, Henry. Book 2 – via Wikisource. . Translated by
Bibliography
- Campbell, Duncan B. (2014). "How long was the Macedonian sarissa?". Ancient Warfare. VIII (3). Karwansaray Publishers: 48–52.
- ISSN 0961-3684.
- ISBN 0-14-008878-4.
- S2CID 192966553.
- JSTOR 504637.
- JSTOR 42617923.
- Lammert, Edmund (1920). "Sarisse". Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft (in German). Vol. IA2. pp. 2515–2530. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
- .
- ISBN 978-83-7531-266-9.