Alexander : a history of the origin and growth of the art of war from ...

THE GRAND PHALANX. 145The normal strength of the grand phalanx all told was :—Hoplites or heavy infantry16,384 menPeltasts and psiloi, say 8,192 menHorse, heavy and light4,096 men28,672 menOr with officers, etc., about 30,000 men, having all classes of troops.There were other subdivisions of the phalanx, each with itsappropriate chief.But like the smaller details of tactics, theminutiae of rank and command do not here concern us.To summarize, the grand phalanx was divided and officeredas follows :—Lochos or section of16 hoplites under a lochagos or sergeant.Tetrarchia or platoon of 64 hoplites under a tetrarch or lieutenant.Taxiarchia or company of128 hoplites under a taxiarch or captain.Syntagma or battalion of 256 hoplites under a syntagmatarch or xenagosor major.Taxis or chiliarchia or regiment of 1,024 hoplites under a chiliarch orstrategos or colonel.Simple phalanx or brigade of 4,094 hoplites under a phalangiarch orbrigadier-general.Double phalanx or division of 8,192 hoplites under a diphalangiarch ormajor-general.Quadruple or grand phalanx or army corps of 16,384 hoplites under atetraphalangiarch or lieutenant-general.With cavalry and light troops this made an army of 28,672 men underthe king or commander-in-chief, or especially thereto commissionedofficer, generally one of the somatophylaxes or intimates ofthe king.It goes without saying that this was only the organizationof the phalanx. In the field both numbers and subdivisionswere constantly changed by losses or for convenience ofhandling.And it will be also noticed hereafter that when Alexanderreached Asia, and incorporated Oriental soldiersintohis army, he made changes not always consistent, as they arenarrated, with this technical organization.remained practically unchanged.But Philip's army