philip ii of macedon spent several years in thebes as a hostage, and paid attention to epaminondas' innovations. on return to his homeland, he raised a revolutionary new infantry force, which was to change the face of the greek world. philip's phalangites were the first force of professional soldiers seen in ancient greece apart from sparta. they were armed with longer spears (the sarissa) and were drilled more thoroughly in more evolved, complicated tactics and manoeuvres. more importantly, though, philip's phalanx was part of a multi-faceted, combined force that included a variety of skirmishers and cavalry, most notably the famous companion cavalry. the macedonian phalanx now was used to pin the centre of the enemy line, while cavalry and more mobile infantry struck at the foe's flanks. its supremacy over the more static armies fielded by the greek city-states was shown at the battle of chaeronea, where philip ii's army crushed the allied theban and athenian phalanxes.