The name "foot companions" was used by Phillip II, father of Alexander the Great as an ancient recruiting method. The pezhetairoi were the battalions of the Macedonian phalanx.They first came to prominence during the reign of Philip II, particularly when they played such an important role in Philip's subjugation of Greece at the Battle of Chaeronea in 338 BCE. Ancient Macedonia employed a range of tactics and formations in their military campaigns, the most notable of these is the Macedonian phalanx, Developed by Philip II and used extensively on campaign by his son Alexander the Great. Its supremacy over the more static armies fielded by the Greek city-states was shown at the Battle of Chaeronea , where Philip II's army crushed the allied Theban and Athenian phalanxes. Philip, though reluctant to send his phalanx into the broken, hilly terrain eventually ordered an assault with half the phalanx, 8,000 men, when he heard of the Roman retreat. The sarisa or sarissa (Greek: σάρισα) was a long spear or pike about 4–6 metres (13–20 ft) in length. While the Spartan phalanx used a shorter more versatile spear, the Macedonian phalanx that Alexander the Great and Phillip II commanded used a "sarissa" which was a much longer and … These were called sarissas.They were two-handed; the smaller shields were slung over the left shoulder. Re-enactment during the 2009 Escalade in Geneva. Description. The Macedonian phalanx is an infantry formation developed by Philip II.It was used by his son Alexander the Great to conquer the Persian Empire.The formation was made up of spearmen carrying 18 to 20 ft (5.5–6 m) long spears. The Macedonian phalanx is an infantry formation developed by Philip II and used by his son Alexander the Great to conquer the Achaemenid Empire and other armies. The word phalanx is derived from the Greek word phalanx, meaning finger. Generally, a spear becomes a pike when it is too long to be wielded with one hand in combat. The Macedonian phalanx is an infantry formation developed by Philip II.It was used by his son Alexander the Great to conquer the Persian Empire.The formation was made up of spearmen carrying 18 to 20 ft (5.5–6 m) long spears. The Macedonian phalanx is an infantry formation developed by Philip II and used by his son Alexander the Great to conquer the Persian Empire and other armies. Design. The Macedonian phalanx now was used to pin the centre of the enemy line, while cavalry and more mobile infantry struck at the foe's flanks. Philip now sent more men into the melee, his Macedonian and Thessalian cavalry, who drove the Romans down the hill, until the Aetolian cavalry stabilized the situation. After the Macedonian conquests of the 4th century BC, the hoplite was slowly abandoned in favour of the phalangite, armed in the Macedonian fashion, in the armies of the southern Greek states. The Macedonian phalanx counter-attacks during the battle of the carts.jpg 2,309 × 1,601; 953 KB Técnica del martillo y yunque1.png 567 × 412; 16 KB Técnica del martillo y … These were called sarissas.They were two-handed; the smaller shields were slung over the left shoulder. A similar weapon, the sarissa, was also used by Alexander the Great's Macedonian phalanx infantry to great effect.