It doesn't seem to far-fetched to me that perhaps the pikes were created
by someone familiar with the phalanx and the tactics used by the Greeks
and Alexander the Great.

Keeping in mind that the pike came into widespread use on the
battlefield in the Renaissance, it seems downright reasonable. A lot of
things were rediscovered during the Renaissance.

Jonathan (not the same one :-)

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jonathan Picklesimer [SMTP:pick@tintin.cascade.edu]
> Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 1998 4:35 PM
> To: birthright@MPGN.COM
> Subject: Re: [BIRTHRIGHT] - Balance between troop unit types
>
> Hey,
>
> I German military historian named Delbruk wrote a 5 book series on
> war,
> starting with war in antiquity and moving through to Modern (1900 era)
> warfare. Good stuff! The description that has been given of the use
> of
> the Swiss pikes sounds identical to the tactics used by the Greek
> phalanx
> up through, and including Alexander the great. For good defensive use
> of
> the phalanx, see the Battle of Marathon. For offensive use of
> phalanx/cavalary combos, see the stuff on Alexander's battles. The
> Greek
> phalanx tactics and composition do not sound terribly different from
> that
> of the pikes.
>
> Before I get flamed, yes, I know they are different units and could
> not
> operate in identical ways, but there are a remarkable number of
> similarities.
>
> Jonathan
>