... size of armies. Foot soldiers became more important with the creation and effective use of disciplined infantry formations, such as the phalanx, foot soldiers could now resist cavalry charges and could themselves advance and attack in a disciplined and controlled manner. The emergence of artillery at the same time helped to end the dominance of fixed fortifications that had existed throughout the Middle Ages. The power of new cannon made existing defensive walls redundant and for the first time in several hundred years the military advantage lay with generals in fighting offensive campaigns. This lead to a scramble by engineers to develop new defences which could withstand siege cannon. The development of the "trace italienne" brough an abrupt end to open warfare and once again commanders were locked in a static warfare dominated by sieges and counter sieges. Overall these revolutions in military technology and thinking were caused by the introduction of new weaponry, ...

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