Hi everyone and welcome to another episode of ancient warfare answers with me, Murray, your weekly 10 minutes of ancient warfare related discussion led by me where I attempt to answer a question from a reader, viewer or listener.

Today's question is from Matt. Get to that in a second. Of course, you can ask us a question, send reader, viewer or listener. Today's question is from Matt.

Get to that in a second.

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Speaking of, today's question from Matt, can you explain and describe what an oblique phalanx is and how it was used in war by Alexander the Great?

Ooh, exciting.

So an oblique or echelon phalanx is indeed a formation where one unit of, one subunit of the phalanx in Alexander's case is forward of the others. Going back in time,

the first deliberate use of a echelon or oblique phalanx falls to epaminondas at the Battle of

Luxtra in 371 BC. More of that are non, because it's a bit of a controversy.

Even in the ancient sources, it's a bit of a controversy.

I don't think it should be, because when you look at it, the development of the echelon

or oblique phalanx is pretty clear that it gets used by a Permanondas and Lucra.

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