Pikes

Pole Weapons — Subcategory

Overview

The pike is an extremely long spear — typically 4–7 meters (13–23 feet) — used primarily in massed infantry formations. Its length is its defining tactical property: a wall of pike points projects far beyond the reach of any personal weapon, and a charging horse cannot close to its rider's striking range before meeting the pike heads. The pike was the dominant European infantry weapon from Alexander the Great's sarissa through the mid-17th century, when the musket-and-bayonet system replaced it.

The Macedonian Sarissa

Alexander the Great's father Philip II of Macedon introduced the sarissa — a pike of 5.5–7 meters:

• Required both hands; could not be used with a large shield (a small wicker pelta was used instead)
• In 16-rank phalanx formation, the sarissas of the first five ranks projected beyond the front; ranks 6–16 held their weapons at angles, creating a roof of points that intercepted missiles
• The Macedonian phalanx was nearly invincible frontally — it was flanked and defeated, not broken face-to-face
• Alexander's conquests (334–323 BCE) demonstrated the sarissa phalanx's power from Greece to India

Swiss Pike

The Swiss Confederation revived pike warfare in the 14th–15th centuries:

• Swiss pikemen in dense formations defeated Burgundian heavy cavalry at Grandson, Murten, and Nancy (1476–77), killing Charles the Bold
• Swiss mercenaries became the most sought-after infantry in Europe; the Swiss Guard's ceremonial role at the Vatican reflects this historical reputation
• Pike formations required disciplined drill to maintain formation under attack; the Swiss were masters of this

Spanish Tercio

The tercio — the dominant military formation of the 16th century — combined pike with firearms:

• A square formation of roughly 1,000–3,000 men; pikemen in the center, arquebusiers and musketeers on the corners and flanks
• The pikemen protected the shooters from cavalry; the shooters provided firepower that no pike formation alone could match
• The Spanish tercio dominated European warfare for nearly a century

Pike Specifications

| Period | Name | Length | Handle Material | |--------|------|--------|----------------| | 336 BCE | Sarissa | 5.5–7m | Cornel wood, two pieces | | 14th–16th c. | Swiss pike | 5–6m | Ash | | 16th–17th c. | Military pike | 4–5m | Ash or pine | | 17th c. (late) | Short pike | 3–4m | Ash |

Pike length was progressively reduced as firearms increased: shorter pikes were more maneuverable alongside musketry.

Decline

The pike disappeared from European armies in the late 17th century:

• The socket bayonet (c. 1687) converted every musketeer into a pikeman when needed
• Maintaining separate pike units became unnecessary
• The last large-scale European use of the pike: Thirty Years War (1618–1648)

This article is a stub. Contributions covering specific pike tactics, battles, and formations are welcome.