Did the Macedonian Phalanx practise othismos with its sarissas?

[Justin Swanton]

The primary source evidence seems pretty overwhelming that it did - far more than for the hoplite phalanx doing othismos with its shields - but I've never seen the idea mooted anywhere.

Just as a sword presents the effect of its edge, increased by the stroke and the weight of the iron towards its back, so the rank of file leaders may be considered the edge of the phalanx, receiving its power, impetus and momentum from the mass of men that presses forward from the rear. - Aelian, Tactics: 13 Compactly [literally 'in a circle'] they stand back successively so that each hoplite [phalangite in this context] in the front is covered by six sarissas and presses on with six forces whenever they bear down. Those standing in the sixth row press on with the weight of their bodies, if not with their sarissas, so that the phalanx's push against the foes does not become endurable and flight [becomes] difficult for the front row men. - Arrian, Tactics: 12 And the Macedonians, men say, with this line of spears do not merely terrify the enemy by their appearance, but also embolden every file-leader, protected as he is by the strength of five; while the men in the line behind the fifth, though they cannot extend their spears beyond the front of the phalanx, nevertheless bear forward with their bodies at all events and deprive their comrades in the front ranks of any hope of flight. But some, who wish to bring all the projecting spear-points to the same distance in front of the line, increase the length of the spears of the rear ranks. - Asklepiodotus, Tactics: 5 Of these sixteen ranks, all above the fifth are unable to reach with their sarissae far enough to take actual part in the fighting. They, therefore, do not lower them, but hold them with the points inclined upwards over the shoulders of the ranks in front of them, to shield the heads of the whole phalanx; for the sarissae are so closely serried, that they repel missiles which have carried over the front ranks and might fall upon the heads of those in the rear. These rear ranks, however, during an advance, press forward those in front by the weight of their bodies; and thus make the charge very forcible, and at the same time render it impossible for the front ranks to face about. - Polybios, Histories: 18.30[/i]

And here is at least one example of this kind of othismos in action at Sellasia:

But when Cleomenes saw that his brother's division was retreating, and that the cavalry in the low ground were on the point of doing the same, alarmed at the prospect of an attack at all points at once, he was compelled to demolish the palisade in his front, and to lead out his whole force in line by one side of his position. A recall was sounded on the bugle for the light-armed troops of both sides, who were on the ground between the two armies: and the phalanxes shouting their war cries and with sarissas lowered [note that both phalanxes used sarissas], charged each other. Then a fierce struggle arose: the Macedonians sometimes slowly giving ground and yielding to the superior courage of the soldiers of Sparta, and at another time the Lacedaemonians being forced to give way before the overpowering weight of the Macedonian phalanx. Finally, the troops around Antigonus, packing their sarissas closely together and making use of the phalanx's unique close-order disposition, attacked the Lacedaimonians with force, driving them back from their field-defences. - Polybios, Histories: 2.69[/i]

A similar thing seems to happen at Cynoscephalae:

But one of the tribunes, with about twenty maniples, having made up his mind on his own account what ought to be done next, contributed by his action very greatly to the general victory. He saw that the division which was personally commanded by Philip was much farther forward than the rest of the enemy, and was pressing hard upon the Roman left by its superior weight - Polybios, Histories: 18.26[/i]

and Pydna:

For the Romans tried to thrust aside the long spears of their enemies with their swords, or to crowd them back with their shields, or to seize and put them by with their very hands; while the Macedonians, holding them firmly advanced with both hands, and piercing those who fell upon them, armour and all, since neither shield nor breastplate could resist the force of the Macedonian long spear, hurled headlong back the Pelignians and Marrucinians, who, with no consideration but with animal fury rushed upon the strokes that met them, and a certain death. When the first line had thus been cut to pieces, those arrayed behind them were beaten back; and though there was no flight, still they retired towards the mountain called Olocrus, so that even Aemilius, as Poseidonius tells us, when he saw it, rent his garments. - Plutarch, Life of Aemilius: 20[/i]

Putting everything together, it seems that a phalanx would jam its sarissas into the shields of its opponents then push. The phalangite shield, concave like the hoplite aspis, made this a workable tactic (the phalangite, like the hoplite, would still be able to breathe in the crush). The sarissas would not shatter as several were stuck in each enemy shield, each taking only a part of the strain of the push. The use of several sarissas for this purpose by each file would explain Asklepiodotus' remark about variable sarissa lengths: "But some, who wish to bring all the projecting spear-points to the same distance in front of the line, increase the length of the spears of the rear ranks."

Does one see this kind of othismos anywhere else in the sources? It is possible to explain it all away as a metaphor? (the phalangites drive back their enemies by the simple terror of their appearance or something like that)

And to the floor.

[Prufrock]

Polybius uses 'weight' to describe the force of the Roman formation at Cannae (3.115) in the Penelope.uchicago translation.

[Mark G]

Which of those sources actually use the term?

[Andreas Johansson]

Which of those sources actually use the term?

None of the tacticians (too lazy to check Polybius or Plutarch) use the word othismos, nor any recognizable form of otheo.

Note, BTW, that they all share the concern with making flight difficult for the front row men and the lack of any explicit claim that the enemy is to be pushed on: it's the rear ranks who are enjoined to push on the front ones, not the latter on the enemy.

I'm sure Justin, Patrick, and Hanson will disagree, but to me it reads a lot more like Maurice's othismos than that of the "orthodox" interpretation of hoplite combat.

[Erpingham]

Curiously enough, the only thing that went through the mind of the bowl of petunias as it fell was Oh no, not again.

Firstly, we must remind ourselves the issue here is generated by accepting a hypothesis about othismos being about co-ordinated physical shoving.  If we move back from that to a model where the closing up of the ranks and an emphasis on stepping forward rather than back, enforced by the officers in the formation who are stationed at intervals through the file, we get something that would work for a pike phalanx. 

On the use of the word othismos itself, I wouldn't be surprised to see it in its general sense of "press of combat" .  Whether it ever meant more than that is something we've already spent many thousands of words disagreeing about, so perhaps we shouldn't go there again?

[RichT]

An othismos argument! What a splendid idea!

Justin - I'm surprised you've never seen the idea mooted - I wrote a Slingshot article on this subject a few years back and we had a long long forum discussion on the subject too - 2016 maybe? I was sure you took part.

If anyone has any new evidence to offer, wake me up and I'll take an interest

[Justin Swanton]

Justin - I'm surprised you've never seen the idea mooted - I wrote a Slingshot article on this subject a few years back and we had a long long forum discussion on the subject too - 2016 maybe? I was sure you took part.

Really? Point me to them. 

[Dangun]

An othismos argument! What a splendid idea!

Richard, I was giggling as I opening the thread, wondering whether you had responded yet.

I always get the whale and petunias confused.

[Andreas Johansson]

Polybius uses 'weight' to describe the force of the Roman formation at Cannae (3.115) in the Penelope.uchicago translation.

FWIW, the original has baros, which has a range of literal and metaphorical meanings not too different from English "weight".

[Andreas Johansson]

Really? Point me to them. 

Here's the thread about the Ss issue, with a fair bit of discussion of Richard's article.

A forum search for "othismos" will bring up sundry other threads largely rehashing the same arguments.

[RichT]

Friday morning, tired, with a headache, end of a long week. What's happening on the SoA forum, for a bit of light relief? More argy bargy with Patrick Waterson (we're like an old married couple), and Justin starting another othismos thread. Can I cancel today and just go back to bed?

[Justin Swanton]

Friday morning, tired, with a headache, end of a long week. What's happening on the SoA forum, for a bit of light relief? More argy bargy with Patrick Waterson (we're like an old married couple), and Justin starting another othismos thread. Can I cancel today and just go back to bed?

That's all right (I feel like bed too).

Earmmm...do we have any evidence that Macedonian officers slept on beds during a campaign? Or was it just the general? Or did he sleep on the ground like everybody else? (couldn't resist  )

[Justin Swanton]

An othismos argument! What a splendid idea!

Justin - I'm surprised you've never seen the idea mooted - I wrote a Slingshot article on this subject a few years back and we had a long long forum discussion on the subject too - 2016 maybe? I was sure you took part.

If anyone has any new evidence to offer, wake me up and I'll take an interest

OK, I read (actually reread) the thread and remember the article.

I think we may be talking at cross purposes. Let's pretend (or hypothesize or agree, take your pick) that Greek hoplites never practised othismos, and the bit about 'press of shields' just means that opposing phalanxes got really close and personal. It remains that the manuals when speaking of the pike phalanx describe something that only be called othismos, or words have no meaning. The problem is that this 'othismos' or whatever you want to call it goes hand-in-hand with the use of sarissas. It's not about shield in contact with enemy shield. But it most certainly is about rear ranks pushing against ranks in front and the combined pressure driving the enemy back, using sarissas as a kind of ram. Is there any literature out there on this aspect of the pike phalanx?

[RichT]

Did you read the right article? I wrote two - one more specifically on hoplites ('When push comes to shove: the meaning of othismos') and one more on sarissa-phalanxes (and Byzantines) - ('Bear forward with the weight of their bodies: pushing in Greek infantry formations'). Not the last word on the subject (to say the least) but covers the passages you quoted.

But it most certainly is about rear ranks pushing against ranks in front and the combined pressure driving the enemy back, using sarissas as a kind of ram.

Well as usual that is begging the question.

I can't point you to any particular literature on it - there's Matthew's An Invincible Beast who covers it to some extent. And Richard Taylor (forthcoming) but you'll have to wait a while for that.

[Justin Swanton]

Did you read the right article? I wrote two - one more specifically on hoplites ('When push comes to shove: the meaning of othismos') and one more on sarissa-phalanxes (and Byzantines) - ('Bear forward with the weight of their bodies: pushing in Greek infantry formations'). Not the last word on the subject (to say the least) but covers the passages you quoted.

But it most certainly is about rear ranks pushing against ranks in front and the combined pressure driving the enemy back, using sarissas as a kind of ram.

Well as usual that is begging the question.

I can't point you to any particular literature on it - there's Matthew's An Invincible Beast who covers it to some extent. And Richard Taylor (forthcoming) but you'll have to wait a while for that.

Which Slingshot was the sarissa-phalanxes article in?