ttle. Sparta aside there was not a high level of training in the armies of the Greek poleis. "Some elite units, like the 300 strong Theban Sacred Band, did train together" (Middleton p19) but most troops were only part of a militia that came together in times of war. Even after its heavy involvement in the Persian and Peloponnesian wars the only full time soldiers in Athens were the marines. Philip placed a huge emphasis on his soldiers training and full time commitment to their job in the military (Brewer p16-18). Philip created a cavalry that was extremely well drilled and a powerful force on the battlefield. He achieved this through intense training.
             Alexander required a high level of training and commitment from his infantry. They were required to use a very awkward weapon in the sarissa. They also formed a phalanx with speed and flexibility that had never been seen in a phalanx before. These facets of Alexander's army would not have been possibl
             ...