BATTLE. 



347 





Battle, heedlessly pursued the fugitives, and in the ardour of 



' v their impetuo.-ty, neglected to charge the phalanx in 



flank, which was now unprotected, and where it was 

 only vulnerable. Philip perceived their error, and 

 wheeling the phalanx, rapidly gained an adjacent emi- 

 nence, from which it poured down on the disordered 

 Athenians with irresistible force, and determined the 

 destinies of Greece. 



The Grecian manner of disposing an army for bat- 

 tle, was, by drawing it up in one front, by which the 

 success of the day depended upon a single effort. The 

 infantry of the Greeks consisted of two kinds of sol- 

 diers. The one heavy armed, with bucklers, lances, 

 pikes, and scymitars ; and the other, light armed, 

 with javelins, bows, and slings. They were particu- 

 larly deficient in cavalry, which is generally ascribed 

 to the mountainous nature of the districts of Greece, 

 where, indeed, that species of force was not so requi- 

 site as in a champaign country. The light troops 

 were generally posted in front of the line of heavy 

 armed infantry, for the purpose of skirmishing with 

 the enemy ; and when they had shot their arrows, and 

 discharged their javelins, they retired through the in- 

 tervals of the heavy armed troops, and forming a line 

 in rear, continued their volleys during the. action. 

 The Lacedemonian cavalry were always placed on 

 the extremity of the left wing, a station which they 

 claimed as an honour and a matter of right. Of all 

 the Grecian nations, the Lacedemonians were the 

 most warlike, and their military system the most 

 perfect. According to their establishment, their 

 army was divided into battalions of four companies 

 each, consisting of 128 men, which were subdivided 

 in four, or in divisions of four men in front and eight 

 in depth, so that the battalion consisted of 512 

 soldiers. 

 Macedo- The Macedonian phalanx, which produced such 



nian pha- astonishing effects, as to be deemed almost invincible 

 for severalages, was composed of 16,000 soldiers, 

 heavy armed with a spear, a sword, and a shield. It 

 was commonly divided into ten battalions of 1600 

 each, being 100 men in front and 16 in depth. But 

 this arrangement was occasionally altered, according 

 to circumstances, and the battalion was sometimes 

 eight and at others 32 files deep. The spears of the 

 soldiers who composed the phalanx, were 14 cubits 

 in length, and they generally received or charged an 

 enemy in close order. While the phalanx remained 

 unbroken, it could not be resisted by any less com- 

 pact body, but it was assailable on the flanks and 

 rear ; and if vigorously attacked on these quarters, 

 the unwieldy pikes were only an encumbrance to the 

 men. The phalanx required flat and level ground, as 

 its whole force depended upon the close order of its 

 files, which could not possibly be preserved on an 

 irregular surface. It was only in particular situa- 

 tions, therefore, that it could act with effect, or pro- 

 duce those decisive consequences, which followed 

 from its charge on the Athenians, at the battle of 

 Chxronea. 

 Battle near In the celebrated battle between the army of 

 Pyma. Perseus king of Micedon, and that of Paulus JEmi- 

 lius the Roman consul, fought near Pyrcna, the pha- 

 lanx made dreadful slaughter among the Romans, and 

 was every where irresistible, while it kept in close 



Bat tie. 



order, but the unevenness of the ground occasioned 

 intervals in the ranks, which the Roman general ob- * v^ 

 serving, caused his soldiers to penetrate at these 

 openings, in small bodies, and make an attack on the 

 phalanx in flank, by which it was totally overthrown. 

 As the whole force of the phalanx consisted in the 

 union of its parts, which gave it weight and solidity, 

 it was easily destroyed when divided, and Paulus 

 JEmilius thus obtained a signal victory. 



The Romans were the greatest masters of the art 

 of war, of all the nations of antiquity ; and finally 

 prevailed over all their enemies, by their skill, bra- 

 very, and perseverance, as long as they maintained 

 the laws and regulations connected with their mili- 

 tary institutions. But they were occasionly worsted 

 in battle, and the genius of Hannibal for a time eclip- 

 sed their glory. 



The Roman army was usually drawn up in three 

 lines, which were several files deep, and the legions 

 generally possessed the centre. The right and left 

 wings were composed of the allies, or auxiliaries, and 

 the cavalry were sometimes stationed behind the foot, 

 that they might pass through the intervals between 

 the divisions and suddenly fall upon the enemy. This 

 form of arranging the army, however, was not inva- 

 riably adhered to, for sometimes the different kinds 

 of troops were placed in the same line. For ex- 

 ample, when there were two legions, the one with its 

 allies was stationed in the first line, and the other 

 behind as a body of reserve. The Romans usually 

 engaged with a straight front ; but occasionally they 

 varied the line of battle by advancing or withdrawing 

 particular parts. The wings were sometimes advan- 

 ced before the centre, or the reverse ; and they some- 

 times formed themselves into the figure of a wedge, 

 or into the shape of aforceps. But when surround- 

 ed by an enemy, they formed the orbis, or circular 

 body ; and when they advanced or retreated in se- 

 parate divisions, the serra. 



The velites, or light troops, began the battle ; and 

 when repulsed, retreated between the intervals of the 

 files, or, by the flanks of the army, and rallied in the 

 rear. The hastati then advanced, and if defeated, 

 retired into the intervals of the ranks of the principes, 

 or, if greatly fatigued, behind them. The principes 

 then engaged, and if defeated also, the triarii then 

 received the enemy with their ranks closed and 

 strengthened by the hastati and principes. By this 

 arrangement of the Roman army, the enemy had to 

 sustain and to repulse various attacks before they 

 could totally overcome it, and obtain a victory. 



The long and destructive contest between Rome Battle of 

 and Carthage, gave occasion to some of the most Cuuna% 

 fierce and obstinate battles of antiquity, in which the 

 valour of the troops and skill of the generals were 

 eminently displayed. In the battle of Cannoe, the 

 tactics of the contending parties, and of the age, are 

 exhibited in the manoeuvres and disposition of the 

 two armies in the field. Hannibal had previously de- 

 feated the Romans in the battles of Trebia and 

 Thrasymene ; but they collected a numerous army 

 to oppose him, which was commanded by the two 

 consuls Paulus iEmilius and Varro. The Romans, 

 including their allies, amounted to fourscore thou- 

 sand foot, and about six thousand horse. The Cats 



