LENGTH ISN'T EVERYTHING -
USE OF THE MACEDONIAN SARISSA IN THE TIME OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT

Rowland E Dickinson

Abstract. Debate exists on the use of the Macedonian sarissa at the time of Alexander the Great. Although considered the weapon that enabled Alexander's victories at the time of Polybius, the sarissa was considered to be an unwieldy weapon that was useable only under the most ideal of conditions. In this paper it is argued that, at the time of Alexander, the shorter sarissa 12 (Macedonian) cubits long (4.1m) was in use as it had greater manoeuvrability than later longer versions. Using an engineering analysis of the physical aspects of the each of the possible lengths of the sarissa, it is concluded that the increase in length from 4.1m was sufficient to remove the manoeuvrability of the sarissa-armed troops leading to the highly restricted conditions for its use related to us by Polybius. By considering tactical displays and individual combat it is shown that formations armed with the shorter sarissa were very manoeuvrable. The use of the sarissa is then considered in several incidents and major battles of Alexander's campaigns. Finally the paper discusses the logic of extending the sarissa's length and analyses the results of doing so.