Pike, a pole weapon widely used by infantry, mainly to counter cavalry attacks and charges.
Pikes were first used by the ancient Greeks, in the famous phalanxes, which were large formations of pikemen, called "foot companions." At the end of the Middle Ages, their use was reinvented by the Swiss, who were esteemed mercenaries for over two centuries. At the beginning of the Modern Age, variants appeared, with the model of the Spanish Tercios becoming predominant.
Clearly defensive in nature, the pike was primarily used in defensive or covering tactics: to prevent charges, halt cavalry, or defend positions and emplacements.
The demise of pikes, at the beginning of the 18th century, occurred when the musket, more powerful than the arquebus, could carry a bayonet, serving as a spear in close combat. The power of firearms displaced pikes.
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