 By the end of the 3rd century BC, the 'Macedonian' phalanx had become the dominant fighting style even for states such as Sparta .Both the "Thureophoroi" and the "Thorakitai" were able to fight both in a phalanx formation, armed with long spears, or in more loose, irregular formations to be used against enemy light infantry or to occupy difficult terrain.Reforms in the late Seleucid and Ptolemaic armies re-organised them and tried to add some Roman aspects to formations.