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

Hebrew Pikeman.JEWISH TROOPS. 19twelve tribes each furnished a corps, which, at the time ofthe flight from Egypt, was, on the average, fifty thousandstrong. From this corps, in times of war, the needed numberof recruits was selected bylot or rote. It was a draftpure and simple.Saul firstestablished a body-guard.InDavid's time (1025 ? b. c.)the number of Jews fit forwar was one million threehundred thousand, and eachtribe furnished twenty-fourthousand men for activeduty. One of these bodiesserved each month, under aHebrew Pikeman.captain who reviewed it, and was held responsible for itseffectiveness. The whole body of two hundred and eightyeightthousand men was a sort of landwehr, of which onetwelfth was constantly under arms.a decimal basis oftens, hundreds and thousands.Solomon largely increased the numberof cavalry and chariots, and perfectedtheir organization and discipline.On the flight from Egypt the Israeliteswere in possession of no weapons. Theypartiallyarmed themselves from those castup by the sea after the destruction of theEgyptians. Their arms, during the laterpart of their wanderings, were bows, slingsand darts.Until they reached the promisedland, they had no forged weapons. TheThe organization was onHebrew HeavyFootman.Philistines, or dwellers in Palestine, were better provided,and were familiar with both cavalry and chariots. At a