The Macedonian Phalanx
The phalanx was a very successful military formation used primarily by ancient Greek states. Soldiers in these formations were armed with swords and shields, but the strongest weapon of each phalangist was the long spear. As a result, the phalanx from the front looked like a massive hedgehog, whose spines could cause significant trouble for any aggressor.
The Macedonian phalanx, however, had a few improvements. Unlike their Greek counterparts, the Macedonians were much better trained and therefore had excellent discipline. Discipline was absolutely crucial for the phalanx. Without it, it was just a group of men with long spears.
The spear was another element that set the Macedonian phalanx apart from the Greek one. Macedonian soldiers were armed with the sarissa, which could reach a length of up to seven meters. The Greek competitors’ alternative was no more than three meters long.
Thanks to this, the Macedonians could strike their enemies before they could even approach within range of their own weapons. It is no wonder, then, that Alexander the Great managed to conquer most of the known world with his phalanx.
The Roman Legion
While Alexander the Great’s empire had a brief existence, Rome ruled the ancient world for many centuries. And it owed much of its success to its legions.
In the early days, when Rome was still a young kingdom, its armies used the phalanx. Over time, however, the Romans perfected their military and eventually developed an effective system of legions that could dominate the entire Mediterranean.
The standard equipment of every legionary included the elongated shield known as the scutum, the short sword called the gladius, and a javelin called the pilum. Each of these weapons was extremely effective, but the most important factor that defined the Roman legions was discipline. For the legion to function at full capacity, it had to be in a solid formation, and that could not be achieved without discipline.
This is why legionaries were commonly punished very harshly. In extreme cases, Roman commanders even resorted to decimation, where every tenth soldier was beaten to death by his comrades.
La Grande Armée
The French army is among the best on the European continent, although it is not a major threat to current world powers. However, at the beginning of the 19th century, the situation was quite different. Under the leadership of Emperor Napoleon, La Grande Armée managed to crush virtually all its European competitors.
This was not only due to the size of the French armed forces at the time, but also because of modern approaches to tactics and innovative use of artillery. Top-notch logistics were also crucial.
For these reasons, Napoleon, at the height of his power, could dominate all of Europe.
However, even geniuses make mistakes. Napoleon’s fateful error was the invasion of Russia, where a large portion of his magnificent army froze to death.