phalanx

phălanx (post-class. fălanx), angis, f., = φάλαγξ.

• In gen.
• • A Lit., a band of soldiers, a host drawn up in close order (poet.): Agamemnoniae phalanges, Verg. A. 6, 489: densae, id. ib. 12, 662: Tuscorum, id. ib. 12, 551: animosa (said of eight brothers fighting together), id. ib. 12, 277: junctae umbone phalanges, Juv. 2, 46.—
  • B Trop., a host, multitude (post-class.): culparum, Prud. Psych. 816.—
• II In partic.
• • A Among the Athenians and Spartans, a division of an army drawn up in battle array, a battalion, phalanx, Nep. Chabr. 1, 2; id. Pelop. 4, 2.—
  • B The Macedonian order of battle, a Macedonian phalanx (a compact parallelogram of fifty men abreast and sixteen deep), Nep. Eum. 7, 1; Curt. 3, 2, 13; Liv. 31, 39, 10; cf.: quae (cohortes) cuneum Macedonum (phalangem ipsi vocant) perrumperent, id. 32, 17, 11: fecerat et falangem triginta milium hominum, Lampr. Alex. Sev. 50, 5.—
  • • 2 An order of battle of the Gauls and Germans, forming a parallelogram: Helvetii confertissimā acie, phalange factā, etc., Caes. B. G. 1, 24; 1, 52: phalangem perfringere, id. ib. 1, 25.

phalanx (später falanx), angis, f. (φάλαγξ), jede dichtgedrängte Schlachtreihe, Schar, I) eig.: A) im allg., wie die der Trojaner, Verg. Aen. 11, 92: Tuscorum, ibid. 12, 551: phalanges Agamemnoniae, ibid. 6, 489: phalanges stant densae, ibid. 12, 662. – B) insbes.: a) die geschlossenen Glieder des Haupttreffens, bei den Athenern und Spartanern, die Phalanx, Nep. Chabr. 1, 2; Pel. 4, 2. – b) die in einem länglichen Viereck in dicht geschlossenen Reihen, 50 Mann breit und 16 Mann tief, aufgestellte Schlachtordnung (Schlachtreihe) des mazedonischen schweren Fußvolks (zu verschiedenen Zeiten 8–16000 Mann stark), die mazedon. Phalanx (Ggstz. levis armatura), Nep. Eum. 7, 1. Curt. 3, 2 (5), 13 u. ö. Liv. 32, 17, 11 sqq. (wo die ph. latein. cuneus [s. d.] gen. wird): fecerat et falangem triginta milium hominum, Lampr. Alex. Sev. 50, 5. – dah. c) übtr., die von den Römern nach der mazedon. benannte, ein längliches Viereck bildende Schlachtordnung der Gallier und Germanen, bei der die Schilde dicht aneinander geschlossen wurden, phalange factā, in dichtgeschlossenen Gliedern, Caes. b. G. 1, 24, 5 u. 52, 4: hostium phalangem perfringere, ibid. 1, 25, 2. – II) bildl., die dicht gedrängte Schar, -Menge, terrigenae phalanges culparum, Prud. psych. 816.

phalanx [CL < φάλαγξ], 3 phalanga 1 large body of troops, host; b fighting unit (as division of larger force); c phalanx, Macedonian fighting unit. bina mihi constant torto retinacula filo, / ex quibus immensum trucidabam mole tirannum, / cum cuperent olim gentis saevire falanges Aldh. Aen. 74 (Fundibalum) 5; falanx, foeða GlC F 91; venit cum immenso exercitu ad locum qui dicitur Edderandun, quo juxta immensas paganorum ~ges invenit paratas cum densa multitudine ad bellum Byrht. HR 76; falanx ‥ exercitus, multitudo militum, cohors, þreat, herig, feþa GlH F 80; 10‥ ex falange, of feþan, of þreate ‥ falancx, feþa ‥ falanges, hereþrym WW; cingunt mille duces, mille phalanges, / cetus Levitici sex legiones Gosc. Edith (II) 270; rex autem ~ges suas jussit Huvelhegen pertransire, et Scrobesburiam urbem in monte sitam obsidere Ord. Vit. XI 3 p. 175; rebellantes cedunt perimuntque phalanges V. Merl. 35; nostrarum gentium ~ges coadunantes G. Hen. II II 13; centum relinquit milites in subsidium, retro phaulanges in silvule densitate absconditos Map NC IV 15 f. 57v; tanquam fallerata fallanx Ad. Usk 94; sub alis et ~gis regis ‥ ad illas patrias militando aciem divertebat Capgr. Hen. 161.  b Brittanni ‥ quatuor ~ges maximas quatuor ducibus munitas fortissimis bello prostituunt H. Hunt. HA II 4; rex ‥ ex omni Anglia in unum exercitu confluente, illum obsessurus in Bedefordiam advenit ‥ illis et illis in locis ‥ sagittantium ~ges apposuit G. Steph. 23.  c Parthus, Arabs, Macetumque falanx non texit Alexin, / at fuga W. Malm. GR III 262; ~x est lingua Macedonum Grecorum legio Bacon Gram. Gk. 139. 2 (quasi-mil. or transf.):: a group of persons acting together. b group of hostile beings. a milites ‥ spreta fanaticae superstitionis cultura orthodoxorum falangibus [gl.: catervis] agglomerantur Aldh. VirgP 36; ordinibus sacris degentes sterno phalanges; / cum semel adgrediens comitabor fraude monachos Bonif. Aen. (Cupiditas) 211; mox rebus gestis ornatur regia classis, / caelicolae sotias laeta exceptura phalanges Frith. 334; tunc monastice ~gi Hugo abbas temporibus nostris speciale monachorum decus preerat Ord. Vit. III 5. 69; dixit ‥ in scripturis suis vivens, et ad huc exprobrat in membris suis, quos magistros sui reliquit erroris, clamans adversus ~ges Israel Netter DAF I f. IV.  b vultusque minaces / per tenebras animam terrebant agmine spisso, / ‥ / cumque diu trepidus per tristes ire phalanges / cogitur Æthelwulf Abb. 329; nocturnas ‥ ~ges demonum et mortiferas eorum visiones Map NC II 12. f. 27.

phălanx, (11) angis, f. (φάλαγξ), ¶ 1 phalange [grecque] : Nep. Chabr. 1, 2 ; Pel. 4, 2 || phalange [macédonienne] : Nep. Eum. 7, 1 ; Curt. 3, 2, 13 ; Liv. 31, 39, 10 ; 32, 17, 11 || formation de combat des Gaulois et des Germains : Cæs. G. 1, 24, 5 ; 1, 52 ¶ 2 [en gén.] troupe, bataillon, armée : Virg. En. 6, 489 ; 12, 662 ¶ 3 [fig.] foule, grand nombre : Prud. Psych. 816.

phalanx , angis. f.
八千步兵隊。Phalangem facere 稠密步兵。

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phalanx angis, f

• , φάλαγξ, a compact body of heavy armed men in battle array, battalion, phalanx: Laconum, N.: Helvetii phalange factā, etc., Cs.: Agamemnoniae phalanges, V.: animosa (a band of eight brothers), V.: iunctae umbone phalanges, Iu.—Esp., of the Macedonians, men in order of battle, a phalanx (fifty close files of sixteen men each): cuneum Macedonum (phalangem ipsi vocant) perrumpere, L., N., Cu.

PHALANX

PHALANX[EXERCITUSVol. I. pp. 768-779.]

Phalanx

(φάλαγξ). The Greek term for the order of battle in which heavy infantry were drawn up, in an unbroken line, several ranks deep. (See exercitus.) The most famous phalanx was that formed by King Philip, constituting the chief strength of the Macedonian army. It was first eight, afterwards twelve to sixteen deep. In the eight-rank formation, the lances (σάρισσαι) being eighteen feet long, those of all ranks could be presented to the enemy. They were grasped with the right hand at the butt, and, with the left, four feet from the butt end; hence, the lances of the first rank projected fourteen feet, while the spear-heads of the last rank were level with, or just in front of, the men in the front rank. In the deeper formation, and after the reduction of the length of the sarissa to fourteen feet, only the first five ranks presented their weapons to the front; the rest held them slanting over the shoulders of their comrades in front. The name phalanx, or τάξις, was also applied to the separate regiments of the φαλαγγῖται. The line of each such phalanx was divided, from front to rear, into four chiliarchies (χιλιαρχίαι), each chiliarchy into four syntagmata (συντάγματα), each syntagma into four tetrarchies (τετραρχίαι). The importance of this formation lay in its power of resistance to hostile onset, and in the weight with which it fell, when impelled against the enemy's lines. Its weaknesses were want of mobility, the impossibility of changing front in face of the enemy, and unsuitability for close, hand-to-hand engagement. The Roman legions also fought in phalanx in the older times before Camillus. Under the emperors the phalanx was used, after about the second century A.D., in fighting against barbaric nations.