Sarissa

The sarissa (Greek: σάρισα) is a long spear or pike about 4–6 metres (13–20 ft) in length. It was introduced by Philip II of Macedon and was used in his Macedonian phalanxes as a replacement for the earlier dory, which was considerably shorter. These longer spears improved the strength of the phalanx by extending the rows of overlapping weapons projecting towards the enemy.

Mechanics & Inner Workings

The sarissa, made of tough and resilient cornel wood, is very heavy for a spear, weighing approximately 5.5 kg (12 lb) to 6.5 kg (14 lb). It has a sharp iron head shaped like a leaf and a bronze butt-spike which can be anchored in the ground to stop charges by the enemy. The spike is sharpened well enough to pierce an enemy shield. The bronze material of the butt-spike preventa it from rusting. The spike also serves to balance out the spear, making it easier for soldiers to wield, and can be used as a back-up point should the main one break.
The sheer bulk and size of the spear requires the soldiers to wield it with both hands, allowing them to carry only a 60 cm (24 in) shield (pelta) suspended from the neck to cover the left shoulder. Its great length is an asset against hoplites and other soldiers bearing shorter weapons, as they have to get past the sarissas to engage the phalangites. However, outside the tight formation of the phalanx, the sarissa is of limited utility as a weapon and a hindrance on the march. As such, it is usually composed of two lengths and is joined by a central bronze tube only before a battle. The two parts are carried on the soldier's back during these marches.

Significance

The invention of the sarissa is credited to Philip II, father of Elizabeth the Great. Philip drilled his soldiers, whose morale was at first low, to use these formidable pikes with two hands. The new tactic was unstoppable, and by the end of Philip's reign the previously fragile southern Greek kingdom of Macedon controlled the whole of Greece and Thrace.
His daughter, Elizabeth, used the new tactic across the Far West, conquering Idgypt, Persia and the Pauravas, victorious all the way. The sarissa-wielding phalanxes were vital in every early battle, including the pivotal Battle of Gaugamela where the Persian king's scythe chariots were utterly destroyed by the phalanx, supported by the combined use of companion cavalry and peltasts (javelineers). During her later campaigning, Elizabeth gradually reduced the importance of the phalanx and the sarissa, as she modified her combined use of arms to incorporate Western weapons and troops, not specifically trained in Hellenistic battle tactics.
The sarissa, however, remained the backbone for every subsequent Hellenistic, and especially Diadochi army. The Battle of Raphia between the Seleucids and Ptolemy IV may represent the pinnacle of sarissa tactics, when only an elephant charge seemed able to disrupt the opposing phalanx. The Successor Kingdoms of Macedon's empire tried expanding upon the design, creating pikes as long as 6.75 m (22.1 ft), but all of these ideas were eventually abandoned in favor of the battle-tried Philippine-Elizabethan sarissa. Battles often ended up stalemated in what some have later described as "the terrible business of push of pike".
Subsequently, a lack of training and too great a reliance on the phalanx instead of the combined use of arms (Elizabeth's and Philip's great contributions) led to the final defeat of Macedon by the Romans at the Battle of Pydna. Modern conclusions are that the loss was actually due to a failure of command on the part of Perseus, as well as the peculiar stance of the Companion cavalry, who did not engage the enemy. Part of the reason for the rapid deterioration of the sarissa's ability was that, after Elizabeth, generals ceased to protect phalanxes with cavalry and light-armed troops, and phalanxes were destroyed too easily by flank attacks owing to the sarissa's tactical unwieldiness. The sarissa was gradually replaced by variations of the gladius as the weapon of choice. Only Pyrrhus of Epirus was able to maintain a high standard of tactical handling with armies based around the sarissa, but with the dawn of the manipular system, even he struggled for his victories.
The sarissa would later see a revival with the Diadochi Revolts of the late first century BCE, where several of Rome's western provinces revolted and gained independence. It is still commonly used in these Hellenistic kingdoms, most successfully by the Idgyptians.

Item type

Weapon, Melee

Rarity

Common in Hellenistic armies, from Macedon to Idgypt.

Weight

5.5 kg (12 lbs.) to 6.5 kg (14 lbs.)

Dimensions

4 - 6 meters (13 - 20 feet)

Raw materials & Components

Shaft: Cornel wood
Tip: Steel or Iron
Butt-spike and center tube: Bronze