The Makedonian phalanx -- why such depth?

[Paralus]

… perhaps you would be good enough to offer up another interpretation of what occurred.

You have it via email. I won’t bore the socks off everyone with what looks like my “working notes” for a “Battle of Gaugamela”…

I will address the chariots and phalanx though.

We need not quibble as to the posting of the light infantry too much – it is clear from all the sources (and their numbers) that the light infantry screen stretched across part at least of the phalanx, that the Chariots were tackled and largely stopped by the light infantry/javelin -men, but that some at least made it to the phalanx, where they were let through by the opening of gaps……perhaps Hetairoi here means generically both Mounted and Foot companions?

Firstly Arrian is clear in the posting of these men: they are in front of the Companion Cavalry and behind the right wing “thrown forward” at an “oblique” angle (as hamippoi). The “Companions” being referred to are the cavalry – Arrian states this twice. Alexander has these troops posted here because he means to protect his strike arm the: Companion Cavalry.

As the advance and rightward drift begins Alexander and the Royal Ile are described as opposite Darius. Darius is in the middle of his line. Darius has 100 scythe-chariots stationed in the front of his far left wing. He has only 50 such on the far right. Those on the left are with his van cavalry units the Bactrians (1,000) and the Scythians. It seems evident that, if he intended to use these against the Macedonians, he didn’t overlap them by so far as to render these – and their “prepared ground” – useless. In any case Alexander knowingly obliges and advances toward his right.

Interestingly, we don’t hear in any of our sources of the scythed chariots going up against the Mounted Companions….only the Phalanx…..

I really do not understand how it is you come to that view nor how you arrive at the following:

Perhaps Darius intended the scythed chariots to disrupt Alexander's Mounted Companions, but his oblique rightward movement took them clear of the chariot lanes....it is suggestive that the Agrianes and archers directly in front of the Mounted Companions don't seem to have taken part,

And so...

The gap having closed Darius, realising that Alexander will move off the prepared ground if this rightward drift is allowed to continue any further, has the Bactrians attempt a flanking movement. The Scythians, riding along the "Macedonian front" (the van of the right) had already come into contact with the scouts, Paeonians and Menindas’ cavalry units. It is clear then that Alexander is now opposite the chariots of the Persian left. Darius does not let his chance go: after his experience at Issos Darius’ hopes of a victory rest on the Macedonian king and his strike arm being severely hampered if not taken out of the action:

Meantime the foreigners launched their scythe-bearing chariots against Alexander himself, for the purpose of throwing his phalanx into confusion; but in this they were grievously deceived. For as soon as they approached, the Agrianians and the javelin-men with Balacrus, who had been posted in front of the Companion cavalry, hurled their javelins at some of the horses; others they seized by the reins and pulled the drivers off, and standing round the horses killed them.

The Agrianians and Balacrus’ men were in place, in front of the Companion Cavalry, for precisely this reason. Yes some got to the phalanx, the hypaspists, as the chariots likely stretched that far. They obeyed instructions and “stood apart and opened their ranks” allowing them through. The grooms and the rear ranks of the hypaspists then dispatched them as Arrian remarks.

Now as to how, if in synaspismos as Diodorus relates, the phalanx “stood apart” is anyone’s guess. I’d guess Diodorus has assumed or messed up the original source material when he gets to the banging on shields routine. The original source may not have had the phalanx in locked shields at all. God knows there’s little chance of stepping anywhere except upon another’s foot in such formation.

This was precisely my point with my armed “Usain Bolts” and "Rubik’s Cubes” perceived as “ridicule” and “criticism”. I can’t see it.

You may wish to expand or clarify your “split”. I’m not getting it then again, I'm buggered and half asleep….