Can anyone tell me about Alexander's millitary training?

[Semyaz]

I'm a lost little student all alone in a groud of people who really won't do any work at all. I'm posting this for a fellow student who needs the information.Can anyone tell me about Alexander's early millitary training?

[marcus]

I'm not sure there's much we can say for sure about Alexander's military training, at least not specifically about him. However, we can make some pretty shrewd guesses.I would doubt that Alexander ever trained in the sarissa phalanx, but he will undoubtedly have seen the phalanx train, and will have learned how it manoeuvred, what its strengths and weaknesses were, etc.For himself, he started his military career as a cavalry commander, so he must have drilled with the Companions. He will have learned to use a sword and a spear. Personally I doubt whether he trained as an archer, but he might well have learned how to use a bow. Most of the rest of his training will have been in athletics, and he probably undertook forced marches which Philip was famous for making his soldiers do.That deals with the practical side of fighting, but he will also have learned about strategy (including logistics) and tactics, and siegecraft, as likely from Philip as from anyone else.All the bestMarcus

[Kit]

Hey Marcus,In addition to that we must also remember that hunting was very popular in ancient Macedonia, it is likely that the skills & abilities derived through this, discipline, communication/co-ordination etc would have transfered easily to the battlefield.For many warrior-type societies hunting formed an integral part of military training for just such reasons.Alexander was also familiar with the works of Xenophon, amongst others, and even regarded the Illiad as a useful military handbook!regardsKit

[beausefaless]

No doubt, Alexander always made time to target practice plus he loved to hunt and took advantage of every opportunity, he was very skilled with most weaponry especially Xiphos, Xyston, sling and as an archer for there's a huge advantage to hunt from a horse with the good old bow and arrow. He and his friends had many hunting adventures through out their lives and as the Spartan male youths, they had similar training and discipline and Philip made sure Alexander had plenty of time for his studies.

[dio]

Apparently there is a reference that when the army was marching Alexander would also busy himself with horse archery to keep himself sharp:Life of Alexander, Plutarch. "If he were on a march which required no great haste, he would practise archery as he rode, or mounting and dismounting from a moving chariot, and he often hunted foxes or birds, as he mentions in his journals"

[marcus]

Yes, good point. Thanks.I had forgotten the hunting element.All the bestMarcus

[Nicator]

Hello Marcus,I would bet he spent a fair amount of time in hand to hand combat drills (at least some semblance of a drill), as evidenced by his abilities with a dagger. Particularly, in the Libyan wilderness during the Siege of Tyre, and again at Gaza. This is a question which has always intrigued me. How good was Alexander man to man. For that matter, how good were all the fighting Macedonians individually. There is the little quip of Erigiyus slaying Satibarzanes in a duel (in Ectbatana?) which seems to elucidate some degree of high confidence and capability among the officer elite. Was it do to training, or simply individual talent? Your decide...I have bigger fish to fry:)later Nicator