(Wikipedia) : Dans l'Antiquité, déjà, L'Epire passe pour peuplée de Barbares selon Thucydide, même si l'un des candidats à la main d'Agaristè, fille de Clisthène de Sicyone, qui ont été sélectionnés parmi les meilleurs des Grecs, porte pour nom Molosse. C'est en Épire que l'Odyssée place l'oracle des morts, au-delà du monde des vivants, dans la vallée de l'Achéron, dont le nom correspond à celui du fleuve des Enfers. Bien que considérée comme barbare par les Grecs, ses côtes accueillirent de nombreuses colonies grecques depuis plus de 2000 avant JC, et le célèbre oracle de Zeus à Dodone y était situé. Sur ses côtes, les Corinthiens viennent fonder des colonies à Corfou, la Corcyre antique, et à Ambracie, l'actuelle Arta.
La dynastie des rois éacides du peuple des Molosses y fonda un royaume puissant au Ve siècle av. J.-C., avec les autres peuples Chaones, et Thesprôtes. Pyrrhus est un des membres de cette dynastie, ainsi qu'Olympias, la mère d'Alexandre le Grand. Le roi Pyrrhus est célèbre pour ses victoires coûteuses contre les Romains. On aurait tort de n'en retenir que les victoires à la Pyrrhus, suivant l'expression inexacte de Tite-Live. Peu après Alexandre le Grand, il tente de sauver l'hellénisme occidental en Grande Grèce et en Sicile, en intervenant en Italie du Sud et en Sicile (280-274), et lutte victorieusement contre Rome dont les habitants tremblent de voir au loin les fumées du camp de Pyrrhos. Parallèlement, il s'empare de la Macédoine et porte la guerre jusque devant Sparte. Sa mort marque la fin de l'indépendance des cités grecques en Italie du Sud : Tarente se livre aux Romains dès 272. C'est dans cette période (deuxième moitié du IVe siècle et première moitié du IIIe siècle) que l'urbanisation s'accélère en Épire. Une ligue indépendante se forme en 234 av. J.-C.. Cependant, la région passe progressivement dans l'orbite romaine : alliance de Corcyre seule en 229 av. J.-C., puis toute la région en 197 av. J.-C. Cela n'empêche pas le pillage en 189 av. J.-C. de la capitale, Ambracie, par les Romains. Cela n'empêche pas non plus le consul romain Paul Émile, de retour de la bataille de Pydna remportée sur les Macédoniens sans butin, de piller et de razzier la plus grande partie de la population, vendue sur les marchés aux esclaves à Rome. Leur nombre fut si grand (les sources antiques avancent le chiffre de 150 000 personnes) qu'il fit chuter le prix de l'esclave de manière durable. La région fut la première province romaine hors d'Italie en 148 av. J.-C.
PYRRHUS :
L'armée Epirote sous Alexandre le Molosse fut probablement un mélange de troupes hoplitiques issue des grandes cités des Molosses, Thesprotes et Chaones, avec un grand nombre de troupes légères rurales et levées des frontières et rudes montagnards illyriens, en général pauvrement équipés et combattant avec javelots, lances, dagues, haches, gourdins, arcs et frondes... La cavalerie, comme le modèle macédonien archaïque, était aristocratique et limitée. Avec l'arrivé de Pyrrhus sur le trône des Molosses, L'armée d'Epire fut entièrement réorganisée sur le modèle Macédonien, des levées rurales étant très entraînées et équipées comme les phalanges sous Philippe II. Ancient Condotierre de demetrios, distingué sur le champ de bataille d'Ipsus, Pyrrhus était rompu aux tactiques d'armes combinées chère à Alexandre et peu à peu oubliées par ses successeurs. Il intégra les troupes existantes avec son corps de phalangistes et "importa" des macédoniens pour constituer le coeur de sa phalange lourde (5000 hommes) et une agema issu des Chaones, qui fournirent aussi ses gardes à pied et Hypaspistes. Il fonda enfin, avec le renfort de cavaliers Thessaliens, une puissante cavalerie lourde sur le modèle des Hetairoi. Une grande partie de son armée d'expédition, malmenée par une tempête avant de débarquer en Italie à l'invitation de Tarente, comprenait aussi des mercenaires, peltastes grecs pour la plupart des archers crétois, et ses fameux éléphants achetés à Séleucos. Une fois en italie, il recruta des mercenaires dans le Bruttium, des Lucaniens, Tarentins, italiotes en général dont il forma une partie en phalangistes. La cavalerie Tarentine réputée vint également constituer une partie non négligeable de sa cavalerie. Sa campagne contre Rome se solda par un statu-quo et ils pensa compenser ce demi-échec par une expédition en Sicile qui s'avéra finalement infructueuse. Sur place il put recruter des levées tribales Sicules, divers mercenaires tounés en banditisme, et déserteurs des armées de Carthage ou de Syracuse... Son armée initiale n'était pas si impressionante au premier abord, car il n'envoya en italie en 280 av.jc. qu'une avant-garde de 3000 hommes commandés par le général Milo. Il suivit avec 20 000 hommes de pied, 3000 cavaliers, 2000 archers, 500 frondeurs locaux, ainsi et surtout que ses 20 éléphants importés d'Asie.
EPEIROS
This was 2310 years ago...
(From Wikipedia): Unlike most other Greeks of the time, who lived in or around city-states such as Athens or Sparta, the Epirotes lived in small villages. Their region lay on the edge of the Greek world and was far from peaceful; for many centuries, it remained a frontier area contested with the Illyrian peoples of the Adriatic coast and interior. However, Epirus had a far greater religious significance than might have been expected given its geographical remoteness, due to the presence of the shrine and oracle at Dodona - regarded as second only to the more famous oracle at Delphi. The Epirotes, though apparently speakers of an epichoric Northwest Greek dialect, different from the Dorian of the Greek colonies on the Ionian islands, and bearers of mostly Greek names, as evidenced by epigraphy, seem to have been regarded with some disdain by some classical writers. The 5th century BC Athenian historian Thucydides describes them as "barbarians",[18] as does Strabo.[19] Other writers, such as Dionysius of Halicarnassus[20]Pausanias[21] and Eutropius,[22] describe them as Greeks. Simon Hornblower interprets the vague, and sometimes even antithetical, comments of Thucydides on the Epirotes as implying that they were neither completely "barbarian" nor completely Greek, but akin to the latter. N.G.L. Hammond opines that their way of life, being foreign to the polis of the southern Greeks, might have had a role to play in it.[23] Some writers think that Epirote tribes in the north (e.g. Chaones, Amantes) might have been bilingual in Greek and Illyrian, based on a remark by Strabo.
Plutarch mentions an interesting cultural element of the Epirotes regarding Achilles. In his biography of King Pyrrhus, he claims that Achilles "had a divine status in Epirus and in the local dialect he was called Aspetos" (meaning unspeakable, unspeakably great, in Homeric Greek).[24][25] The Aeacidae established the Molossian dynasty, who built a state in Epirus from about 370 BC onwards, expanding their power at the expense of rival tribes. The Molossians allied themselves with the increasingly powerful kingdom of Macedon and in 359 BC the Molossian princess Olympias, niece of Arybbas of Epirus, married King Philip II of Macedon. She was to become the mother of Alexander the Great.
On the death of Arybbas, Alexander of Epirus succeeded to the throne and the title King of Epirus. Aeacides of Epirus, who succeeded Alexander, espoused the cause of Olympias against Cassander, but was dethroned in 313 BC. His son Pyrrhus came to throne in 295 BC, and for six years fought against the Romans and Carthaginians in southern Italy and Sicily. His campaigns gave Epirus a new, but brief, importance and a lasting contribution to the language with the concept of a "Pyrrhic victory". In the 3rd century BC, Epirus remained a substantial power, unified under the auspices of the Epirote League as a federal state with its own parliament (or synedrion). However, it was faced with the growing threat of the expansionist Roman Republic, which fought a series of wars with Macedonia. The League remained neutral in the first two Macedonian Wars but split in the Third Macedonian War (171 BC-168 BC), with the Molossians siding with the Macedonians and the Chaones and Thesproti siding with Rome. The outcome was disastrous for Epirus; Molossia fell to Rome in 167 BC, 150,000 of its inhabitants were enslaved and the region was so thoroughly plundered that it took 500 years for central Epirus to recover fully.
Epirus Army :
Before Pyrrhos came to the throne, the only true Epirote army was those of the Molossians. It was mainly a classical Greek army, Hoplites beeing recrutable only from the Capital at Ambrakia, and perhaps few other cities like Dodona and Apollonia. The army counted mostly peasant levies, javelineers, slingers, archers and light spearmen. With Greek influence, professionalised peltasts could have been recruted also, but there was nothing new before the great Pyrrhos reforms. When he came to the throne in 295 bc, he quickly recruted masses of men from the countryside and local towns and trained them as phalangites. As a former Diadochi captain, by modern comparison, a "condotierre", he was mastering the Alexandrian tactics and gave his new army a "successor" face, with an hetairoi elite cavalry, lighter local cavalrymen acting like tarentines and as scouts, phalangists and peltasts, thureophoroi and acontists. He can ultimately recruit also local illyrian and Aetolians, and muster his army with a lot of mercenaries from all greece, including elephants from asia. During his campaign in Italy, he managed to raise italic and greek-italic troops, turning it as a patchwork-like army, colorful, and which could have been compared both to those of Alexander and Hannibal; As a master of "combined arms", the whole peninsula was now on his vicinity, and his growing legend needs a clear victory against the Romans...
EPIRUS EARLY ARMY (ALEXANDER THE MOLOSSIAN ARMY) :
ILLYRIOI PEZOI : This light infantry was recruited on the bordering towns and villages, in the northern region controlled by the Chaonians, under Molossian suzerainty. These men, and illyrian settlers attired by the Epirote prosperous economy, formed valuable levies, equipped with a "fortune equipment", including a short spear and a wood shield. They were not the best unit to stop roman legionaries, but formed affordable local militias, accostumed by a hard life and a natural bellicose behaviour. They were highly appreciated as a defence on the battlefield, their spears beeing always a threat against any infantry or cavalry, and formed shieldwalls quite easily. They can also act as ambushers, beeing accostumed to hit-and-run tactics in rugged terrains.
PANTODAPOI HOPLITAI : These militia hoplites were the most current citizen defence in case of war. They were slightly trained to a basic phalanx formation, equipped with affordable wood aspis, spear, rarely having a sword, or a short one, a light helmet, and of course no greave nor amor. They were efficient against all sorts of units since their flanks were protected, and can hold their line with courage and dedication, although they were no match against professional phalanx or any attack heavy infantry.
HOPLITAI : They came from Dodona, Apollonia, Epidamne, and Ambrakia, and were all weatlhy citizens. They were given the classical Hoplite panoply (modernized) including bronze greaves, bronze chalcidian helmet, bronze breastplate, or in a more modern form, linothorax. A good xyphos or more deadly Kopis complemented their xyston lance. Highly motivated, they were rather young, the older beeing perhaps ancient veterans form the wars against hte Illyrian tribes. They are the perfect unit to hold the line, beeing able to run if needs with their full equipment for a short period. Well protected and highly skilled, they are the bread and butter of the ancient army of Alexander the molossian.
EPILEKTOI HOPLITAI : Elite Hoplites were probably a few, and were not recruted "as such", but they were given the best equipment, beeing the most wealthy citizens. Generally older than common hoplites, they were battle-hardened (especially those who fought against illyrian raider since their young). Although the bronze cuirass was considered somewhat obsolete, iron breatsplate molded specially for his owner was highly priced at this time. Their helmets were also high, impressive, often orned with beasts, feathers, wings, crests, as their greaves. They also had the best sword available, a kopis sword, which can be extremely costly due to its mastering artwork and specifications. They bear also an impressive bronze aspis, highly decorated. None could ignore them in the battlefield. They were the foot elite of the Molossians, Thesprotians and Chaeonians.
KELES HOPLITAI (#1 early and #2 late): These fast hoplites, lightly equipped, were somewhat old-fashioned, and also called "ekdromoi hoplitai'. They were designed, during the peloponnesian war, to catch the peltastai, and protect the hoplites of their deadly javelins. Beeing a part of the wings or spread at the forefront, they probably not wore a cuirass, but probably later a quilted one, which was affordable, light and flexible, having their large wood aspis to protect them. Their helmet was also probably light, beeing of boeotian or pylos style, which were affordable at low price. They were given also no greaves, but a good kopis sword, and a short xyston. Both were used for close-combat. They were agile, but not suited for passive defence. The men which were recruited as such were probably young and relatively poor but brave and endurant. They could have been also improvized fast hoplites, regular hoplite which lay their armour and greave in place in order to be more agile. This kind of infantry was somewhat old-fashioned in 300 bc and becoming to fade in favor of new successors infantry of this kind, like the thureophoroi, thorakitai, and pheraspidai, not to mention the hypaspistai.
AKONTISTAI : These classic light javelineers were driven from the peasantry and were part of the "psiloi". They were lightely equipped, beeing levies, having a small and light shield, mostly made of wicker and goat skin, and a small dagger which was more utilitarian than offensive. They were not a melee infantry, they would have been made piecemeal by any experienced infantry. The best Acontists were recruted amongst the mountaineers in the west and north, shepherds and tribesmen. The Southen Theprotians and Aetolians could muster also valuable and experienced skirmishers, but the best were the illyrian tribesmen, masters of raiding and ambushes.
SPHENDONETAI : These affordable skingers are cheap psiloi, driven from the coastal and southern cities. They were not sophisticated, beeing shepherds for the most, but skilled and deadly for any infantry. They use an almost unlimited ammunition, but at the price of a lower range than archers. The choice between zeveral size of stone could have been also decisive when placed on a safe position at medium and relatively close range (less than fifty meters). They were lightely equipped, with a smal shield strapped on the frearm, and no helmet nor any armour, their dagger beeing more a hunter tool than a military weapon. The Corcyreans, although independant from the Epirus kingdom, could have mustered also valuable slingers, alsthough not famous as the rhodians and balearics.
TOXOTAI : Still not well-recoignised, the western greek archers were largely considered less efficient than scythian mercenaries. These were peasants, hunters, accostumed for a simple and harsh life, but not for war. Their straight bows were not able to perform shots at great range, mostly under 80 meters, although a dominating position was valuable, both for protection and greater range. Another backside was their limited and not easily produced ammunition. Their arrows, unlike the stones, were more rarely deadly, although a wounded soldier was always quite less efficient... But properly used, with night arrows and parabolic trajectories, they could have been a nightmare for any army in a pitched battle. The true military archers raised by Pyrrhus later were the famous Cretans...
PELTASTAI : (#1: early light peltastai, #2 late peltastai) Hellenistic heavy peltast were an evolution of the classical peltast as it was known and used by greek cities during the peloponesian war and of course macedonian kings, mostly from thracian descent. The first were thracian mercenaries. The "pelte", a crescent shaped leather and wood light shield was the common protection of these thracian light infantry, wearing only a soft cap and large cloak. Later, during the philip II reforms of the macedonian army, a local light infantry was formed, with more training and better equipment than the traditional "psiloi", recruited in the poorest rank of the society. Because of their same duty as thracian "peltasts", they soon be described as "peltasts" too, although they were given a larger thureos shield, a light helmet (in the beginning, boeotian, later thracian, offering better protection at higher expense). Some of the poorest wore simple tunics, but the wealthier of them used greaves and a light linothorax. They were very different kind of appearance, others wore a phrygian helmet, and even a bronze cuirass, relatively more cheap than the linothorax although it was not a good choice for mobility.\n\nIn time, this infantry become more and more heavyer, giving birth to a famous variant, mixed with the iphikratean fast hoplite : The thureophoroi. Later again, around 200 bc, it gave birth to the last evolution of this kind of infantry, the thorakitai. Heavy peltasts were although a constant unit within the successors armies, acting as scouts, for ambush or raiding parties, for skirmishing in battleline, pursuing light psiloi, reinforce the lines, turn and attack the enemy units. The equipment was less standardised than heavier units, and thracian-born peltastai were not the majority.
IPHIKRATES HOPLITAI (#1 athenian early style (low-res), #2 modernised late model) : This transitionnal infantry was born during after the pelopponesian war, an athenian invention. Iphikrates was an Athenian general, the son of a shoemaker, who flourished in the earlier half of the 4th century BC. He owes his fame as much to the improvements he made in the equipment of the peltasts or light-armed mercenaries (named for their small pelte shield) as to his military successes. Historians have debated about just what kind of "peltasts" were affected by his reforms; one of the most popular positions is that he improved the performance of the Greek skirmishers so that they would be able to engage in prolonged hand-to-hand fighting as part of the main battle line, while another strong opinion posits that he worked his changes upon the mercenary hoplites that were an important factor in late 5th- and early 4th-century B.C. Greek land warfare.
His "Iphicratean reforms" consisted of increasing the length of their spears and swords, substituting linen cuirasses in place of heavier bronze armor, and introducing new footwear (later called iphicratids) that were easier to don and remove than previous models. In addition, he replaced the heavy hoplon/aspis with a lighter pelte that could be strapped to the forearm, freeing the left hand to help hold the lengthened spears. By these changes he greatly increased the rapidity of their movements. He also paid special attention to discipline, drill and maneuvers; the longer weapons, combined with the lighter armor and shield, forced his troops to take a more aggressive approach in tactical situations. With his peltasts Iphicrates dealt the Spartans a heavy blow in 392 BC-390 BC by almost annihilating a mora (a battalion of about 600 men) of their famous hoplites. (wikipedia)
These modernised and well trained light hoplites were highly manoeuvrable although having a better killing power in melee fightning, due to their slightly longer pikes (3.60 meters). Later, with macedonian rise, the greek iphikratous hoplites use a far longer spear, although 5-6 meters long, carried in two parts, as the sarissa.
HIPPEIS EPEIROS : This light cavalry was of good quality, driven from villagers wealthy enough to afford their horse and equipment. They were, of course, recruited as an auxiliary unit, beeing able to act as a fast scout, like the ancient catascopos. They were slightly more heavy than the hippakontistai, acting as lancers, and also fight with a sword at close-range. This tactic was designed more for repeated charges in the right place, to break the lines, unlike aspidophoroi which were best as melee fighters. They bear a relatively short xyston, easy to manage with one hand and probably most of them were giving a light shield. It was the basic cavalry of the epirot city-states when rushed in campaign.
HIPPAKONTISTAI : These classic mounted javelineers were raised amongst the relatively weatlhy and young inhabitants which could afford horses. They were too lightely equipped to operate in melee, and their main tactic was the hit-and-run. The speed was their best protection. Although they had a short sword or dagger for close-combat, it was a self-defence weapon, probably much efficient dismounted. Their javelins were of good quality, generally better than those of akontistai, with iron spearheads. They weighted more and possessed a more powerful impact, with the additional speed of the horse. A few were given a helmet, a quite better protection than the common peasant hat...
HIPPEIS THESSALIKOI : The core of the Pyrrhic cavalry was made of the finest heavy cavalry in the greek world, the Thessalians. Thessaly was in the immediate vicinity of Epirus, neighbouring allied Macedon. This highly skilled cavalry was recruited by Philip II, then Alexander and his successors to the Throne of Pella, which always shadowed their tactics and equipments. Their trademark was the boeotian helmet, light, mass-produced and elegant, boots, a wide cloak, the xyston and machaira. They were fast lancers, repeating several charges in order to break any infantry formation. Fast and reliable, they inspired the Macedonian cavalry and were also recruited as auxiliaries and mercenaries. Pyrrhus raised an impressive core of 1000 Thessalians, which were all part of his famous expedition in italy in 280 bc. They proved quite superior to the roman equites, in all but valiance...
AGEMA HETAIROI (early bodyguards): They were modelled after local aristocratic cavalrymen and probably organized in a 300-strong agema, after Pyrrhus reforms in the macedonian line. Before that this was a strong cavalry unit, chosen inside the nobility and companions to form a close bodyguard. They reflected probably a strong influence of the thessalian cavalry in tactics and equipment. Their helmets were more brighty ornamented, their cuirass, machaira sword, and greaves of fine quality.
PYRRHIC HELLENIC ARMY (From 295 bc. onwards)
DEUTEROI PHALANGITAI : These conscript Epirus phalangite were lightely equipped and fast trained, they lacked the skills of any macedonian pezhetairoi of course, but formed much more valuable infantry than the hoplitic forces, still, nearly unbeattable from front. Due to their short training, they were probably not able to use the special tactics developed by Philip II and and refined by his son, Alexander, like running while making slides to the left or right, but they were still a very capable infantry, courageous and endurant, and were later reinforced in italy and sicilia by similar Tarentine and Italiote conscripts.
MAKEDONOI PEZHETAIROI (#1 early style - #2 later style) : They were described as 5000 men, and were the bulk of the heavy infantry. Pyrrhus knew well these officers, while some served under his command in the successors campaigns in the east. He knew their valor and relied heavily upon their skills, endurance and hardiness. Later, a subdivision occured between the the Leucaspidai (white shields) and Chalkaspidai (bronze shield). An within the lasts, the Asthetairoi were also probably a picked-up Taxeis of veteran Pezhetairoi.
EPEIROI PEZHETAIROI : They were formed by Pyrrhus on the macedonian model and trained as such as well, amongst local units and peasant recruits like the early Philip II army. This proved succesful however, and Pyrrhus succeed to raise 8 000 of them. They were generally not less well equipped than macedonians, using affordable ogival mass-produced helmets, leather armors or affordable bronze ones, wood shields covered by bronze and greaves. Although beeing not hardened, they were well commanded by experienced macedonian or epirot officers who served under Pyrrhus command before he came to rule the Molossians.
CHAEONIOI AGEMA : This elite unit was primarily made of Chaeonian veterans, thos who fight with Pyrhhus during his young age. They were a kind of "old guard", though and "hard-boiled" phalangists, knowing to the perfection the macedonian phalanx tactics and using the best equipents they can afford. At this time, it was mainly the linothorax, those of high quality beeing particularly costly due to their complexity and time to assemble. They were as light and comfortable as they were reliable and efficient against nearly all missiles. Their shields, wood and bronze covered, were already still their main defence, with the helmets. masked helmets were adopted from the macedonians and proved better-protecting than more usual models. It was not surprising if they became popular amongst elite troops, and giving them a frightening thracian appearance.
HYPASPISTAI : Some picked-up men within the Chaeonian elite were chosen to form Hypaspist units. They acted with less armor, a large kopis and javelins, or a short xyston in ordrer to be far more agile than the sarissa bearers. They usually served as foot royal bodyguard, and as an elite attack infantry in campaign, following their master while running, acting as a screen of fast-moving infantry.
PHERASPIDAI : Also called the "makedonikoi peltastai" or "basilikon peltastai" they were another elite unit equipped as the early hypaspistai (bronze aspis, light armor or even tunic, kopis and javelins) in order to act as first line heavy peltasts, or flanking/support the assault infantry. Lately, they became heavyer, described having a bronze anamorphic armor and brighty decorated helmets. Later versions of elite thorakitai rendered them somewhat old-fashioned...
THUREOPHOROI : The thureophoroi were a famous ancient medium infantry unit. They were introduce first in approx. 300 bc and were seen as a perfect link between iphikrates hoplitai and heavy peltasts. Their main shield was the famous thureos, lighter than the hoplon, but giving a good protection. As iphikrates hoplitai they wore boots, linothorax, light helmet, greaves, and carry a spear, which was a modernised xyston, not a sarissa. The had javelins and sword too, a kopis. In TW, due to the limit of two weapons, this unit bear only spear and javelins, but in reality they were a very versatile infantry, able to resist any assault with dense formation with their spear, skirmish, and eventually fight in melee with their sword. They probably have only two light javelins, carries with their shield, a spear in the other hand, and the sword in quiver.\n\nThe Diadochis took advantage in using this new medium infantry, far less vulnerable than psiloi, and add them at extreme wing, before the cavalry, in ordrer to turn the enemy line, or as a second frontline, in reinforcement, in scouting devices... Their flexibility was appreciated, until a new style of thyreophoroi appeared, the thorakitai. Specific to eastern hellenic armies, it used a scale armor, or a chainmail (antigonids). The reformed seleucid ang ptolemaic armies introduced from 146 bc a heavyer version, well trained, who took model on the roman legionary. These last were still equipped with a spear, but merely just a sword and heavy javelins. The Thorakitai Aryraspidai were a renowned unit of veterans inside the seleucid army.
THORAKITAI : The Hellenic Thorakitai were first mentioned approx in 200 bc. They were a new version of thureophoroi, wearing a mailshirt or a light scale armour, more resistant an cheaper than linothorax. The roman warfare and victories had a tremendous influence amongst diadochis, and the thorakitai, first using the usual triple combination, javelins, spear, sword, began to use lately sword and javelins only. The last form seleucid and ptolemaic reformed armies, after the defeat and partition of the kingom of macedon facing the romans, were an imitation legionary, much more trained and professional than before, integrated in ascepiodotal legions. The Argyraspides were a seleucid unit of veterans, used to qualify also elite thorakitai. But these new style romanized units were never the majority. The battleforce core was still the heavy phalanx, which was the most powerful battle system during centuries, although even the recent defeat examples. The diadochis were aware that phalanx was no more a match facing the roman infantry, but they also thought that completing ranks of the phalanx with units of new-style medium and heavy versatile infantry was the key of success. It was always nearly impossible for the roman infantry to have success with a frontal assault of a phalanx.
PRODROMOI : They were of course west thracians, but also Acarnanian, Aitolians, Macedonians, and Athamanians, equipped as the thracian prodromoi, with kopis or machaira swords instead the falxes and short spears that some of the original thracian prodromoi used. They formed the bulk of the light and medium cavalry.
ASPIDOPHOROI : Litteraly "aspis bearers", this medium cavalry was made of versatile javelinmen-lancers-swordsmen. They were capable of scouting and skirmishing, chargin, and melee combat as well, and had an avantage both against light and medium cavalry in melee and light infantry.This intermediate hellenic cavalry was adopted by Pyrrhus to complement his famous Tarentines mercenaries. They saw combats in Italy, Sicilia (where nearly half of the pyrrhic expeditionary force was made of cavalry), and in the pelopponesus later.
LONCHOPHOROI (ΛΟΓΧΟΦΟΡΟΙ) : This late hellenic cavalry was an aspis-bearer one, usually also a xystophoroi. This make a rather versatile cavalry, acting as a support to the usual xystophoroi lancers. Their xyston was probably not manned like other xystophoroi due to the only hand usable, and slightly less long and heavy than usual ones. Thus, catw configuration show them with their weapon above the shoulder, probably the less tiring solution, allowing them also terrific frontal blows. They were for this reason an excellent melee cavalry, well-protected, wearing greaves, and fightning with their heavy machaira when surrounded by the enemy.
AGEMA HETAIROI (late bodyguards): This Successors elite cavalrymen were a 300-strong agema hetairoi, or royal elite unit, superbly equipped with composite linen armors, greaves, modern version of the boeotian helmet, widely ornamented, and bearing the long xyston lance and a heavy machaira for close fight. They were accostumed to make several deadly charges and then fight in melee when the infantry lines were broken. This agema was composed veteran thessalians, and the kings "friends" (philoi), usually Molossian noblemen...
ELEPHANTES INDIKOI : Pyrrhus, while having passed time with the most impressive diadochis of his era and fought bravely at Issus, knew the valor of a line of these huge beasts to bring disarray in the hearth and smash any infantry encountered. As they were efficient even against a phalanx, how could it would be against lightly-protected swordsmen like the early romans? Pyrrhus bought no less than 20 asian elephant to Antiochos when prepared to invade italy. It was his most impressive unit, by far, and with the combination of his phalanx and heavy cavalry, could certainly deliver a fatal blow to the roman army. They were, at this time, two sorts of asian elephants : Those who were used by sarissa bearers, rarely employed, and the most common skirmishers elephants, the last beeing up to five in the tiny tower. They were well-protected however, with armors and decorated helmets, and additionnal javelins could be stored inside the tower. These javelins could be heavy, as they were not intended to be thrown at a distance, but from a dominating position over the enemy. Cataphract elepehants were mainly used by the Seleucids, it is dubious that Pyrrhic elephants were armoured, as he thought that their only presence on the battlefield was sufficient enough to scare the roman first lines. In fact, the last, beeing not accostumed to such view were accordingly sadly impressed and routed after two famous battles, the last beeing mostly indecisive. Years after, Hannibal came with the same idea, by contrary to the usual opinion, in his fearest battles in italy, his elephants take a smal part, the last beeing even death beforeCannae. At Zama, Scipio has learnt this troops to deal easily with these beasts, and his method rendered them useless, if not counter-productive for the Carthaginians...
GREEK & ILLYRIAN AOR :
BULLIONE RAIDERS : These southern tribesmen were feared by neighbouring towns of the Chaonians, which were lightly fortified and managed to have vigiles each night in attempts of their raiding parties. Although beeing for a long no more than tribesmen driven intro banditry, the neighbouring Bulliones could have been recruted alongside other troops like mercenaries, although beeing poorely equipped with a wood mace, a small pelt and wicker roundshield, a leather helmet derived from the poular local illyrian helmet, and several wood javelins. They were fast, they were fierce, they were agile on the worst terrains, mastering the ambush warfare. Although ill-disciplined and not at their ease in pitched battle, they could form valuable screening force as auxiliaries, excelling for tactical wing moves.
TAULANTI SPATHAROI : The Taulanti were a powerful tribe of southern Illyrians, a region crowded with small tribes, and they exerted local hegemony over neighbouring tribes like the Bulliones, Amantes, Encheleans, Parthini and Albani. Although their noble warriors were equipped in a greek fashion, with bronze armor, aspis, and greaves, fightning with their xyston, the major part of the infantry was made of skirmisher and light spearmen. The swordsmen were a minor part of this common infantry. Illyrian used various swords, of various qualities, but the greek kopis was considered costly and used subesequently by nobles. Commoners used straight swords instead, like the spatha or even the celric longsword. These illyrian swordsmen were typical of this kind of proven attack infantry. They have a tunic without belt, no armor, a simple illyrian helmet, well-protective but completely obsolete, a wood scutum, a spatha and a bunch of javelins. They were hihly regarded as mercenaries, beeing able to skirmish and to fight in melee and usable as a scout and assault infantry.
AETOLIOI HIPPEIS : Aetolia was a famous greek country, neighbouring Epirus to their southern frontier. They were surrounded to the north by the Ambrakiotes, Dolopians, and Acarnanians to the west, in a mountaineous region with an access to the gulf of Corinth to their southern coast. It was a relatively isolated region, and some greeks considered them "half-barbarians". They were, however, a true greek people which was living in small but powerful cities, especially in the south. The interior was poor and crowded, so they were part-time raiders, and if Polybius was a resolute anti-aetolian, they were the hegemonic center however of the powerful league of the same name, which was long time a strong ally of the macedonians, and some times roman opponents. The southern Aetolians were able to raise a valuable cavalry, nobles and wealthy men probably fighting as skirmishers and light lancers. Aetolians were part of the Pyrrhic army as mercenaries, and their fast raiding cavalry accostumed to the rugged lands of Aetolia was well rewarded in the hilly Sicily, perfect for scouting.
AETOLIOI PELTASTAI : Aetolian infantry in the south ("old aetolia") was made of peltasts and hoplites, but most of the mercenaries came from the mountaneous, isolated and reckless regions of "new aetolia". These sturdy infantrymen were equipped with javelins and swords, but also a thureos. Aetolian peltasts were experienced and largely used abroad as mercenaries. They were perfect as a scout infantry but can fight at close range also. The Aetolian league was founded in 370 bc, then to oppose the raising power of Macedon and opposing their allies of the Achaean league. Later, this opposition was reversed, and Aetolia became a sturdy ally for the macedonians. They had a mixed position while facing the Romans. Once relatively neutral, they sided to the Epirots during the Pyrrhic wars, then reversed their alliance in favor to the Romans, beeing the first allies for Rome during the Illyrian conquest and after, during the first macedonian war, taking position against the Macedonians. They not changed their mind during the second macedonian war, but became more sceptical with Roman involvment in greek affairs, before becoming frankly hostile and take an alliance with the last diadochi hostile to Rome, Antiochus III. When the last was defeated in 189 bc, the Aetolians were isolated and forced to sign a new peace treaty which made them subjects more than allies of Rome.
PAEONIOI HIPPEIS : The Paeonians were sturdy cavalrymen, praised by the macedonians which used them as lancers and skirmishers. Paeonia was a region sandwiched between the thracians and the Illyrians. They were not well-described but probably have a mixed culture and mixed language reflecting their ancient indo-european roots and related to the thracian language. Immediately north to the macedonians, they were involved in several wars against them, and until philip II, continously threatening them, launching devastating raids. Although Philip and his son put an end to their endless agressivity while subjugated their southern tribes like the Agrianes, Paeoplai and Siropaiones, it was a constant threat in the back of Macedonia, but they made valuable mercenaries and later auxiliaries. The Agrianes were the most famous, but the Paionian cavalry was well used also. They seems to have been used by Pyrrhus also as a mercenary cavalry.
MISTOPHOROI THORAKITAI PELTASTAI : Mercenary heavy peltasts were equipped like the thureophoroi, shadowing them while having a short sword, high quality javelins, greaves, linothorax, heavy helmet, and a large and thick thureos, probably made of wood instead of wicker and leather covered, the edges beeing protected by a broad bronze band. Equuipped as such, these late peltasts were able to fight in melee also and made a valuable support and assault infantry as well.
MISTOPHOROI ILLYRIOI PELTASTAI : They were very usual mercenaries throughout the mediterranean. Lightely equipped, with their tunic, disc and stud helmet, which was still in use by 300 bc amongst the Veneti, Rhaeti and ancient peoples of eastern Italy also, they bear the wood illyrian scutum inspired by the celtic one, and were given a bunch of crude javelins, rarely topped with metal spearheads, a dagger for the wealthiest, and a simple wood mace or a longer spear for the commoners. Although badly equipped and with poor skills in close combat, they could be recruted in large numbers at relatively low cost. Their action could be also devastating in mass raiding, ambushes and simply at the forefront of any pitched battle.
MISTOPHOROI KRETIKOI TOXOTAI : The most famous greek archers, they were widely used by greek city-states, Carthage, and macedon, but also by all the diadochis, and later by the romans. The Island of Crete was famous for beeing the cradle of the precursor of all thallassocracies, while the Minoan empire dominated the whole Aegean. This Island saw rivalling city-states in the near period, and was famous for exporting mecenaries, mostly cretan archers, and the so-called "neokretans", mentioned several time by authors like Polybius, but not precisely described. Cretan archers were first line well-equipped professional archers, contrasting with the usual peasant levies used as "psiloi", bearing a leather cuirass, an helmet (boeotian, pylos-style, of even chalcidian), a xyphos short straight sword, and a small shield. Their accuracy and range was the best for western foot archers, they can even outrange scythian and other eastern archers, but were slower due to their simple longbow requiring more strenght and skills. Pyrrus enlisted at least 1000-1500 of such archers, on a total of 2000, as a support. They are contrasted views of their appearance by several authors. Their tunic was described to be red, in order to differenciate them to the usual ambushing and support archers, as their recoignisable mark of a battleline unit. They were also given a typical headband under their helmet, when they had one. Late Cretans were gorytos users, as the famous scythian large quiver was well-suited for a professional archer, homing a lot of arrows and bow spare parts. They were skilled, beeing frequently used aboard pirate ships. Their shield could have been of wicker and leather, but perhaps later bronze covered. Patterns were probably derived from classical cretan symbols, like the svastiska-like Aigagros, the double-edged axe, and the sacred bull. The "neo-cretans" were probably archers rearmed as peltasts and fightning as such.
ITALIC & SICILIAN AOR :
TARENTINOI LEUKASPIDAI : (White shield Tarentine Phalanx): Once Pyrrhos landed in Italy, he raised local troops amongst his allies from magna grecia, especially Taras (Tarentum), and trained them in a macedonian way to supply his own main phalanx. They were levies, but also driven from hoplite classic infantry, equipped with lighter shields and sarissas. The white shields were mentioned as their main phalanx unit, the most experienced one.
TARENTINOI HOPLITAI (Allied Tarentine Hoplite) : The most famous and able allied hoplite Pyrrhus had, were his tarentines; Alongside the phalanx, they fought with their own tactics and traditional way. They were skilled and well equipped, with the usual panoply of wood and bronze-faced aspis, greaves, linothorax, kopis or xyphos sword, and chalcidian or attic helmets. Some were alo using phrygian and pylos style helmets, although they were not in majority. Surtdy and reliable, alhought with not enough agility while facing the roman legion, they did well however in the two major Pyrrhic battles.
TARENTINOI HIPPEIS : Originated from Taras, this famous cavalry was made originally of skilled horsemen driven from the peasantry, who fought whith several javelins, and a dagger, in a slightly heavier form of the greek hippakontistai. With time, it became more well armed and versatile, some tarentine fought with a spear also. The name was given later, in the hellenistic era, to a kind of light-medium cavalry equipped like the original Tarentines. Late Tarentines were given helmets, kopis, and an aspis; they used cloaks and even light armors, like the leather or linen armour. For Pyrrhus, his Taretines formed the backbone of his medium cavalry, allied wing, and were successful against the roman equites.
BRUTTIOI HASTATI : Bruttian mercenaries were also recruited in huge numbers by Pyrrhus. These lasts were partly equipped like the famous Mamertines, then always in the Bruttium, but they will be soon recruited by Agathocles. They were given a hasta spear, a straight sword, greaves, and a cardiophylax to protect their chest. The wealthiest of them could afford full bronze armors, but this reastrained their moves, and they were mostly used as an assault and support infantry, throwing their javelins before fightning in melee with spears and swords. Though and endurant, they were clearly a match for the camilian roman hastati and principes...
LUCANOI HOPLITAI : Lucanian troops were also raised by Pyrrhus. Some of them were roughly equivalent to the oscan scutum infantry, but some were equipped as and fought as hoplites, with the usual panoply. Like the campanians, they could give good accounts of themselves as a medium-heavy support infantry.
SAMNITI HASTATI : Samnite and Oscan in general constituted a wide part of Pyrrhus army during his italic campaign. The Samnite were, in particular, eager to take a revenge for their recent defeat, while attempting to raise a new coalition against Roman hegemony in italy. Pyrrhus saw immediatly what profit he could made with such impressive and motivated warriors. Most of them were versatile swordsmen, spearmen and javelinme, using the convex scutum shield, and were steadfast, agile, and highly skilled. Theydid their part with courage and thoughness.
SICULI TRIBESMEN : Not well equipped, but with a real and profound knowledge of their own country, they mastered ambushes and guerrilla raids as no one in the while island. Sicilia was knowned for its ancient indo-europeans inhabitants, living in small tribal kingdoms which were in fact fortified towns on eagle nests, with an hilly countryside around. Sicilia, home of the Siculi, was not a tender place. Rocky hills, very hot in summer, with heavy rains in winter, formed a rude, bellicose people fightning always for their own warring clans. This division in fact was proficious for the greek settlers which becomes the mighty Syracusans, and later by the Carthaginians in the east. Pyrrhus could'nt count on any help from the syracusans, nor of course of the carthaginians, even desertors, but some few mercennary hoplites. They were gifted for tactical moves, ambushes and raids, bearing a few protection but a wicker shield, fightning with a light dagger and a spear as main weapon.
GAESATAE (Γαισάται): Amongst all gallic mercenaries recruited by Pyrrhus, the Gaesate from the Rhône valley (south-west gaul). They were, according to Polybius, mercenaries, but in fact like some scholars suggests, their name derived from "spearmen" (gaesos), and these is doubt about their true fightning tactic. Where they a light skirmisher unit, fightning naked to be more agile in rough terrain, with protection by nature, and to show their courage ? Were they young ? - This is probable, but the gaesatae would probably have no helmet, and fought with several spears to thow and one longer for close fight. Apart Polybius some accounts described them as experienced and not-so-young elite warriors, fightning at the forefront for frightening the enemy by their appearance, more than to serve as a skirmisher unit... Their shields were scutums, and they were probably warriors of the warrior class with the current equipment including a long sword, and perhaps several heavy spears in order to be thrown and to use in close fight at the same time. One thing is clear. Despite their appearance and tumultuous noise, they don't intimidate the romans that both in Telamon and later, broke their resolution with the young velites... Despite their lack of pretection they were costly but skilled warriors, eager to show their courage and fightning with an incredible stamina...
