Power Point focused on Alexander's army as it stood at the Battle of Granicus. Weapons, numbers and styles of Units covered.

1. THE MACEDONIAN ARMY

2. Macedonian Army Battle Tactics
CAVALRY CAVALRY
GREEK INFANTRY IN NORMAL FORMATION
Thessalian cavalry
to stop enemy
outflanking
Macedonian Phalanx used as a
holding force
Hypaspists used
to keep contact
between Phalanx
and Companion
cavalry
Companion
cavalry used
to deliver the
main blow
Light troops and cavalry to stop
enemy outflanking
Light Troops

3. The Phalanx
Used as a brute-force breakthrough formation.
Philip made the Phalanx a versatile weapon, with
the ability to advance, hold and retreat in good
order.
It was primarily used as a holding force while the
Companion cavalry delivered the main blow
against the enemy.

4. • Each man held a 6.5 metre-long pike or sarissa
with both hands, wore a Cuirass or breastplate,
and wore a shield around his neck.

5. • The men in the front five ranks would hold their
sarissas out in front. The ranks behind would
hold their sarissas in the air to break the flight of
arrows and other missiles.
• If the phalanx broke formation the battle was
effectively lost, so discipline was essential.

6. • In open order, each man occupied an area of
1.8m². As the phalanx advanced the men would
close ranks until each occupied around 1m². If a
defensive formation was required the men would
lock shields and move closer until the men
occupied 50cm².

7. • The Macedonian phalanx was made up of 64
battalions of 256 men. (16,384 men)
• The phalanx could maneouvre into many
different formations, but the most common were:
Straight Oblique
Open half
square
Crescent
Open wedge

8. The Hypaspists
•
(Shield-Bearers)

9. • Equipment
– Thrusting Spear (Doru)
– Large Round Shield (Hoplon)
– Sword (Xiphos or Kopis)
• Divided into batallions of 1,000 men.
– Alexander had 3 of these at Granicus.
• The Hypaspists were an elite infantry unit, distinct from
the phalanx.
• They were more versatile and more highly trained than
the phalanx.
• They were usually deployed between the phalanx and
the Companion cavalry in order to hold the Macedonian
line together.

10. The Companion
Cavalry

11. • The Companion cavalry were the elite
troops of the Macedonian army.
• Highly trained, they were able to change
to attack in any formation, though the
most common was the wedge.
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A
A = Unit Commander
B = Wing Commander
C = Rearguard Commander

12. • Consisting of 8 squadrons, almost exclusively
made up of Macedonian nobles, they charged at
the enemy lines in order to drive home a
concentrated punch designed to break a hole in
the enemy formation.
• The commander of the Companions, usually
Alexander, who led his Royal Squadron, led from
the front of the wedge.
• These men carried a 12 foot sarissa, and were
heavily armoured, each wearing a metal helmet,
a bronze Corselet (body armour) and bronze
Greaves (shin armour).
• 2,600 Companion Cavalry at Granicus

13. Thessalian Caavalry
• 1,800 – 2,000 men and horses.
• Xyston - 3.5–4.25 meters
– Held with both hands.
– Spearpoints at both ends.
• Rhomboid formation
– Advantages?
• Parmenion’s Troops
• Guarded the Left Flank

14. Greek Allied Cavalry
• 600 men and horses.
• Equipped similarly
• 16 x 8 formation
Thracian Cavalry
• 500 men and horses.
• Javelins and Swords
• Wedge formation

15. Paeonian Cavalry
• 300 men and horses.
• Javelins and Swords
• Light Cavalry used for Scouting
Agrianians (Peltasts)
• 10,000 Men
• Elite Light Infantry
• Honored on the Right of Companion Cavalry.
• A number of Javelins, Sword, No Armor
Archers
• 10,000 Men
• Mostly from Crete
• Powerful Bows

16. Thracian Peltast
These men used
bow and arrow,
slings, and light
javelin. They
were lightly
armed and able
to evade the
charge of the
heavy cavalry.
Scythian Archer

17. The Persian Forces
• 5,000 Greek Hoplites
– Commanded By Memnon from a Cavalry Unit
– Placed at the rear (Untrustworthy)
• 9,500 Peltasts
• 10,000 Cavalry
– Mostly light Cavalry
– Armed with Javelins and Bows

18. Persian Leaders Killed
• Spithridates - satrap of Ionia and Lydia
• Mithrobuzanes - satrap of Cappadocia
• Mithridates - son-in-law of King Darius
• Arbupales - grandson of King Artaxerxes II
• Phranaces - brother-in-law of King Darius
• Rhoesaces - brother of Spithridates
• Omares - commander of the Greek mercenaries
• Niphates - a cavalry commander
• Petines - perhaps a cavalry commander
• Arsites - satrap of Hellespontine Phrygia -

19. NO MERCY
• The Greek Mercenaries are quickly
Surrounded and butchered.
• 2,000 are enslaved as a message.
• 300 Persian Suits of Armor are sent back
to Parthenon in Athens
– For everyone “except Sparta”
But…

20. Honors
• All dead are buried with military honors.
– Persians did not bury dead.
• Surviving relatives granted tax exempt status
and are exempt from military service.
• Alexander Commissions 25 Bronze Statues for
the fallen Companion Cavalrymen.
– Lysippus – Great Sculptor of the Time
• Speaks with dying men and allows them to tell
stories of bravery.