Macedonian Phalangite vs Persian Warrior: Alexander confronts the Achaemenids, 334-331 BC

Alexander the Great invaded the Persian Empire in August 334 BC and faced numerous armies, including the Immortals, a formation of 10,000 elite infantry. This study assesses the origins, combat role, and battlefield performance of Alexanders phalangites and their Persian opponents in three key battles of the era.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 80 pages
Publication date: 30 May 2019
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Alexander the Great launched a conquest of the Persian Empire in August 334 BC, with his army consisting of 10,000 phalanx and phalangites, equipped with long pikes and fighting in formations up to 16 ranks deep. These grizzled veterans were the mainstay of the Macedonian army. Facing them were the myriad armies of the peoples that made up the Persian Empire, with the Immortals being the elite infantry, armed with spears and bows. In this study, a noted authority assesses the origins, combat role, and battlefield performance of Alexanders phalangites and their Persian opponents in three key battles of the era – the Granicus River, Issus, and Gaugamela – at the dawn of a new way of waging war.

Weight: 260g
Dimension: 187 x 247 x 5 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781472831873