I know only some of the basics about the pike, which from what I understand came back into play for battle in the late 16th century and of course was integral to the dominance of Alexander the Great against the ancient Persian Empire.
What was it that brought the pike back into battle strategies? Was the pike out of use between ancient times and the late 16th century?

Any help is appreciated!

Bob

The pike came back already in the 15th century and was employed with great success especially by the Swiss. Earlier "Gewalthaufen", the Swiss version of the greek phalanx, used mainly halberds. However they soon found out that a phalanx of halberdiers was almost helpless against massed cavalry, so they started to increase the number of pikes. In short time they became very good at handling this "new" waepon bot defensively and offensively. The German Landsknechte and Flemish Pikemen soon adopted this old new tactic.

Albrecht Altdorfer's painting "The gruesome Swiss war" gives a very good impression how the pike was used, that is basically the same way as the macedonian phalanx of Alexander but without shields.

[ Linked Image ]

Thanks Wolfgang, so the pike came back a whole century earlier than what I had thought.

Bob

My knowledge is thin about the Swiss but what I seem to remember was that the social organization of the Swiss was very
egalitarian and the idea of the citizen soldier very strong similarly to the Classical Greeks or Macedonians.

Their combat effectiveness was based at least in part in the fact that the Swiss would never surrender and I think that at least early on they tended to not take prisoners either, as well as fighting to the last man: Or at least that was their reputation and would make an opposing force fear the Swiss more than most period opponents. A Swiss caught retreating would be better off dead as he would never have a place in his society again: So bravery might have less to do with it than the greater fear of being despised by all his friend and family.

The main defining feature of a pike versus a spear is length and the first medieval period spears may have started at around the 12' mark and would have gotten longer and longer until a maximum manageable size of 21' was reached. ( could be wrong here about the evolution ? )

Any sources for this Swiss stuff?

I think armour might have played a role too. The first time you start seeing two handed spear armed troops in Europe is during the 13th century (with the notable exception of an 8th century Pictish carving portraying a long spear armed troop with his shield strapped over his shoulder like a Macedonian phalangette), which just happens to be the century that rigid plate armours start becoming available.

I'm not saying that the development of plate armour was the main cause for the reintroduction of the pike, but I'm sure that not having to lug around a 15lbs shield to protect yourself with made the prospect of using an 16ft long spear much more attractive.

Carl,

Excellent observation. I have contemplated that as well regarding two handed weapons in general. Seems solid to me. The only problem is that many mass troops w/ two handed weapons were lightly armoured but it still sounds plausibe to me.

Randall

Machiavelli considered the German pikemen of his era to be lightly armoured because most carried only a breast and backplate, which, being maybe 2 or 2.5mm thick, might account for only 14lbs of armour. This armour would provide a great deal of protection to pikemen from thrusts and arrows yet it would still leave his limbs, waist, and head exposed to sword cuts. So lightly armoured is pretty relative.