Historical Weapons : The Sarissa

The sarissa was a long spear or pike about 4-6 metres in length. Introduced by Philip II of Macedon, the sarissa would come into use in his Macedonian phalanxes as a replacement for the shorter Dory Spear. This improved the reach of the phalanx considerably, and as a result, made the Macedonian Phalanx effectively the dominant military formation in the Hellenistic world.
The sarissa was made of tough and resilient cornel wood. Macedon was famed for high-quality timbers, and as a result, had a steady supply of wood for their weapons.
It was also a very heavy spear, weighing approximately 5.5 kg to 6.5 kg. It had a sharp leaf-shaped iron spearhead, as well a bronze butt-spike that would allow it to be anchored to the ground to stop charges by enemy soldiers. The bronze material of the butt-spike also prevented it from rusting.
This spike also served to balance out the spear, making it easier for soldiers to wield. It could also be used as a backup should the main iron head spear point break. It also acted as an effective counterweight.
The Sarrisa was a very long spear, and as a result, several adaptations were needed in order to both transport and use the spear. When marching, the spear would often be carried in two parts and then slotted together when in battle. This made transporting the spear far easier.
The weight of the sarissa also meant that it needed two hands to operate it. This meant that the large hoplite shield was useless, and was replaced by a smaller shield called the pelta, which was swung over the neck of the soldier via a strap.
Despite this weapon winning many victories for the Macedonians, it was almost utterly useless when not in a tight phalanx formation. This was largely due to the size of the weapon, which made it extremely impractical when fighting one to one. This meant that in these situations Macedonian Pikemen would often either use swords or a shorter spear.
Gradually, the Sarrissa saw itself become outdated, mainly through the improper use of the Sarrisa pike phalanx by the successor kingdoms, who more often than not failed to protect the flanks of their phalanxes. As war became more mobile, the sarissa saw its use slowly decline, being replaced by more mobile options.
____________________________________________________________________
Sources:
En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Sarissa. [online] Available at: en.wikipedia.o... [Accessed 22 Oct. 2018].
Wasson, D. and Wasson, D. (2018). Philip II of Macedon. [online] Ancient History Encyclopedia. Available at: www.ancient.eu... [Accessed 22 Oct. 2018].
Wasson, D. and Wasson, D. (2018). The Army of Alexander the Great. [online] Ancient History Encyclopedia. Available at: www.ancient.eu... [Accessed 22 Oct. 2018].
Sarissa, Macedonian Pike, Macedonian Warfare, Philip II of Macedon, Phalanx, Ancient History Animated, Animated History, Ancient History Guy, Alcohol, Alexander the Great, Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek Warfare, Phalangite, Battle of Gaugamela, Battle of Chaeronea, Historical Weapons, The Sarissa Pike, Macedon,
#AncientGreece #AlexandertheGreat #AncientHistoryGuy