Who were the Pezhetairoi?

The pezhetairoi (foot companions) were Macedonian infantry soldiers armed with long sarissas and fighting in phalanx formation. They were an essential part of the army of Alexander the Great.

How did the Macedonian phalanx work?

A Macedonian phalanx was a linear formation, consisting of at least 16 ranks. The men of the first four ranks lowered their sarissas to meet the enemy up front, while those standing in the back held their sarissas upward, protecting the formation from enemy archers and slingers.

Pezhetairoi

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Definition

The pezhetairoi (foot companions) were part of the imposing army that accompanied the Macedonian commander Alexander the Great (r. 336-323 BCE) when he crossed the Hellespont to face the Persian king Darius III in 334 BCE. Armed with long pikes (sarissas), the pezhetairoi fought in a Greek phalanx formation and played an important role in the battles of the Granicus, Issus, and Gaugamela.

More about: Pezhetairoi

Timeline

334 BCE - 323 BCE
Campaigns of Alexander the Great.
May 334 BCE
Alexander the Great invades the Persian Achaemenid Empire.
5 Nov 333 BCE
Battle of Issus. Alexander the Great is victorious against Darius III of Persia.
1 Oct 331 BCE
Battle of Gaugamela. Alexander the Great calls himself "King of Asia."