Did Vikings use phalanx?
The Viking shield wall (or skjaldborg in Old Norse) was a pretty conventional tactic used by the Norsemen in land battles. It entailed a phalanx-like formation of warriors who were up to five ranks deep.
What long range weapon made the Roman legion so devastating?
Javelin or pilum was around 2 meters long, with a metal tip and with a weighted end. Javelin was hurled into the enemy and it had a devastating effect on the opponent. Experienced legionaries could hit the enemy which was 20 meters away. Each legionary carried 2 javelins to throw at the enemy.
What is a phalanx formation in the military?
Phalanx, in military science, tactical formation consisting of a block of heavily armed infantry standing shoulder to shoulder in files several ranks deep. Fully developed by the ancient Greeks, it survived in modified form into the gunpowder era and is viewed today as the beginning of European military development.
What weapons were used in the Roman phalanx?
The basic weapon for this formation was a thrusting spear called the hasta; from this the heavy infantry derived its name, hastati, retaining it even after Rome abandoned the phalanx for the more flexible legion.
Why did the Phalanx take so long to attack?
One of the main reasons for this slow approach was to maintain formation. The formation would be rendered useless if the phalanx was lost as the unit approached the enemy and could even become detrimental to the advancing unit, resulting in a weaker formation that was easier for an enemy force to break through.
Who invented the phalanx in ancient Greece?
The spear-carrying phalanx, or massed formation of closely ranked men, was used by Sumerian armies as early as 3,000 bc. Two thousand years later the Greeks refined the concept, using pikes 6 to 9 feet (2 to 3 m) long. Hoplite, heavily armed ancient Greek foot soldier whose function was to fight in close formation.