The sarissa was a very long spear or pike, roughly 5 to 7 meters (16 to 23 feet) in length, introduced by Philip II of Macedon to replace the shorter dory spear used by earlier Greek hoplites. Wielded two-handed by the Macedonian phalangite in a deep formation, it gave the phalanx its defining hedge of overlapping pike points. No complete sarissa survives archaeologically, so its exact length and construction remain matters of scholarly reconstruction. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Facts
Disputed
Introduced YearCredited to Philip II of Macedon, whose reign began in 359 BC; ancient sources do not give a specific year for the sarissa's adoption within it. Classification
Service Status Weapon Class Weapon Class
Weapon Class (category)Sword / Polearm / Bladed 1 Connections
Associated With
Source Wikipedia: Macedonian phalanx
The sarissa phalanx pike was the Macedonian army's signature infantry weapon throughout Alexander's campaigns.
Source Wikipedia: Macedonian phalanx
Operated By
Source Wikipedia: Sarissa
Used In
Source Wikipedia: Sarissa
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Sarissa
Wikipedialead paragraph
The sarissa or sarisa was a long spear or pike
lead sentence
The sarissa or sarisa
- Introduced circa -359 per the entity's own sourced description text; no pre-1900 weapon system remains in current active military service.
Lead
After the conquests of Alexander the Great, the sarissa was a mainstay during the Hellenistic era (4th-1st centuries BCE) by the Hellenistic armies of the diadochi successor states of Alexander's empire, as well as some of their rivals.
Operated By: Macedonian Army, Article text
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.
Used In: Wars of Alexander the Great, Article text
After the conquests of Alexander the Great, the sarissa was a mainstay during the Hellenistic era (4th-1st centuries BCE) by the Hellenistic armies of the diadochi successor states of Alexander's empire, as well as some of their rivals.
View the Source Wikidata: Sarissa
Wikidata Q271113, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source Wikipedia: Macedonian phalanx
WikipediaAssociated With: Macedonian Army, Equipment sectionQuote, Associated With: Macedonian Army, Equipment section
The weapons of the first five rows of men all projected beyond the front of the formation, so that there were more spear points than available targets
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