Preview: Successor Factions

[il Pitta]

PTOLEMAIKE BASILEIA




Startin available troops

Machimoi
Machimoi Epibatoi
Machimoi Akontistai
Machimoi Toxotai
Machimoi Sphendonetai
Hoplitai Karai
Stratiotai Iudaeoi
Pezoi Kyrenaykoi
Klerouchoi Pezoi
Klerouchoi Hippeis
Klerouchoi Hippeis Xystophoroi
Klerouchoi Hippeis Thessaloi
Galatai Klerouchoi
Thrakioi Klerouchoi
Hypaspistai Peltastai
Basilikon Agema
Peri ten Aulen Hippeis
Mistophoroi Kretikolakedaimonioi Peltastai
Mistophoroi Toxotai Neokretikoi
Akrobolistiai Hippakontistai Tarentinoi


Raphia Reform

Machimoi Epilektoi
Katoikoi Pezoi
Katoikoi Hippeis
Katoikoi Hippeis Xystophoroi
Katoikoi Hippeis Thessaloi
Galatai Katoikoi
Thrakioi Katoikoi
Galatai Epigonoi
Thrakioi Epigonoi


Ptolemy V reform

Machairophoroi
Machimoi Hippeis
Machimoi Laarchia


Ptolemy VI Reform

Katoikoi Thyreophoroi
Katoikoi Thorakitai


I b.C.

Pedites Gabiniani
Equites Gabiniani


___________________________________________


Apparently the Egyptian local population was considered both unreliable and not fitted for military service by the Macedonians.
Even if there was a social class called Machimoi -actually in the last days of Pharaos’ Egypt a military caste of mixed Egyptian, Lybian and partially Nubian heritage- for a long period they were employed just for police and guard duty.

Machimoi

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In case of need, Machimoi were employed on the battlefield as auxiliaries troops, like at the battle of Gaza in 312 b.C.
“Of his army some were Macedonians and some were mercenaries, but a great number were Egyptians, of whom some carried the missiles and the other baggage but some were armed and serviceable for battle” Diod.XIX.80.85

Machimoi Sphendonetai

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Machimoi Toxotai

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Machimoi Akontistai

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The only sector were native regular troops apparently were heavily employed was the fleet, as reported by Pausanias (III, 6, 5)

Machimoi Epibatoi

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The Carians are represented by the Greeks as a warlike race; and Herodotus (I, 171), whom Strabo copies, says that the Greeks adopted the fashion of helmet crests from them (actually the Persians called the Carians “Cocks” for their crested helmets), and also propax, antilabe and the whole structure of hoplite shield apparently were Carian inventions.
They served as mercenary troops, or practice piracy in the Aegean and the East Mediterranean.
Called for their hoplite panoply “Men of Bronze” by the Egyptians, Carians were heavily employed by the last Pharaos (actually more or less petty rulers for the Persian empire) and both pharaoh Apries (Herodotus, II, 163)) and Psammetichus (Herodotus, III, 11) are reported to have at their services Carian troops.
Actually, the Carians formed a strong community in Egypt long before Alexander’s conquest, maintaining their condition as a separate element from the natives, and were recognized as an influent minority in the Ptolemaic Egypt.

Hoplitai Karai

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Carian in a persian relief

Jews were a numerous minority in Ptolemaic Egypt.
Just at the time of Ptolemy I, 30.000 Jew warriors were called to Egypt and dispatched in different areas as stable garrisons.
In the papyruses they are indicated with the term “Stratiotai”, meaning “Soldiers”, not as “Clerouchoi” (Landowners), and this implies weren’t assigned to them land allotments, but their recruit appears more than a forced levy.
On the other hand, Jews willingly emigrate in Egypt in other periods during the reign of the Ptolemies, fleeing either from Seleucids or Maccabee extremists.


Stratiotai Iudaeoi

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The Kyrenayke Pentapolis, a federation of ancient Greek colonies on the coastal Lybia, had became a client state of Ptolemaic Egypt.
From time to time, conscripts from Cyrenaica equipped as Pezoi (literally “footmen”), armed in Macedonian fashion, were used in Ptolemaic armies, especially in time of great need like at Raphia.


Pezoi Kyrenaykoi

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Klerouchoi means simply “People that have a kleros”, and "kleros" means “land allotment”.
Actually Klerouchoi were the prominent social class at first in Ptolemaic Egypt, being actually Macedonians and Greeks (and in a second phase other “European” immigrants like Thracians and Gauls) to which was granted a land allotment in exchange of their military service.

The Pezoi were the backbone of the Prolemaic army, being actually Macedonians equipped as sarissophoroi, fighting in phalanx formation.


Klerouchoi Pezoi

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Klerouchoi Hippeis

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Even if the use of the shield had become quite normal for Hellenistic cavalries, there still were corps that used in battle a long two handed spear, as stated by Asklepiodotos in the Tekne' Taktike', where he describes horsemen "employing long spears [makrois... tois dorasin] for which reason this arm of cavalry is also called doratophoron or xystophoron…”

Klerouchoi Hippeis Xystophoroi

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In the army of the Ptolemies is attested the use of war elephant.
Ptolemaic elephants were African, but not the same little species used by Carthaginians (Loxodonta Africana Pharaohensis), instead the biggest and strongest elephants at all (Loxodonta Africana), captured during dadicated expeditions to Aethiopia (https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/wil...s-are-revealed).
Even if bigger and stronger than their north african cousins and even their indian counterparts, african elephants were far more difficult to tame, far less reliable and prone to run amok.

War Elephant with turret

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Hypaspistai, often called in classical source about the Successors with the term of “Peltastai” -even if having nothing to share with the “classical” concept of Peltasts- were an elite troop equipped in a more heavier way of the Sarissophoroi/Pezethairoi/Pezoi, with duties that ranged on protecting the flanks of the phalanx in battle thanks to their old fashion hoplite shields, to perform shock-troop attacks.


Hypaspistai Peltastai

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The Agema was the royal guard on the battlefiled, composed by chosen Hypaspistai.


Basilikon Agema

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Inside the cavalry of the Ptolemaic armies there were a specific corp of elite cavalry "peri ten Aulen" (attached/near the court).

Peri ten Aulen Hippeis

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Sparta was strongly linked to the Ptolemies, mainly because she wants to get rid from Makedonia influence.
In the famous Nile Mosaic of Palestrina, a couple of warriors light armed had been identified as Sparto-Cretan mercenaries, due to the hybrid Phrigian-Boeotian helmet very popular among Cretans and the scorpion emblem on the shield, a symbol often linked to the laconian city of Geronthrae .

Mistophoroi Peltastai Kretikolakedaimonioi

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Cretan Archers were heavily employed by Ptolemies, and moreover, “Neocretans”, that actually were archers equipped in Cretan fashion, coming from Cyprus and other areas of the Hellenistic world.

Toxotai Neokretikoi

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Akrobolistai Hippakontistai Tarentinoi


As for the rest of the Greek and Hellenistic world, tarentine skirmish cavalry had became a traditional component of the army, and as for the majority of the cases, "Tarentine" used to define the equipment and the fighting way far more than a real ethnicity.

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In Egypt, Macedonians came to face a practical problem to replenish their army: being the locals considered unreliable and not fitted for military service, and being actually the percentage of Macedonian citizens quite sheer, they start at first to heavily employ mercenary troops.
Even if the use of mercenaries never faded, and they were always an important part of Ptolemaic army, relying too much on them was obviously too costly, and on the other side mercenary troops often hadn’t the same motivation of regular troops.
So the Ptolemaic rulers start to actually import manpower, settling communities of former mercenaries on their land, granting them kleroi and the status of Klerouchoi.
The two biggest immigrant elements in Ptolemaic Egypt appeared to be Thessalians -already a part of Macedonian armies with Alexander as light-medium cavalry- and Celts (especially Pannonians coming from the Balkans) and Thracians, two groups probably favored for being notoriously warlike and fighting as medium-light troops in a fashion that the Macedonians assimilated to their light Peltastai and Thyreophoroi, that actually were the corps in which the Ptolemaic army was more deficient.


"A body of Thracians and Gauls was also enrolled, 4,000 being taken from settlers in the country and their descendants, while two thousand had been recently enlisted and brought over” -Polybius

Galatai Klerouchoi

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Thrakioi Klerouchoi

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Klerouchoi Hippeis Thessaloi

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Not long before the battle of Raphiah, in 217 b.C., Ptolemy IV understood that he simply couldn’t withstand his Seleucids enemies just employing Macedonians and Greeks as line troops, and so he reformed the Ptolemaic army and also the Ptolemaic society, opening the class of the Klerouchoi (landowners, since then just of Macedonian, Greek, Gaul or Thracian stock) to the native Egyptians, actually conceding to the most prominent of them a kleros.
These Machimoi are recorder as Epilektoi (chosen), and were armed and instructed as hellenistici phalangites (Polybius, V, 82)

Machimoi Epilektoi

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Short before the battle of Raphiah, having Ptolemy IV granted the status of Klerouchoi to some Machimoi, the Macedonians and Greeks within the Ptolemaic kingodm, but also the Thracian and the Gauls, start to be defined in the documents no more with the title of “Klerouchoi”, but with the title of Katoikoi, meaning “Colonists/Settlers”.
It appears quite probable that the new Katoikoi social class, was created both to maintain a clear distinction between locals and foreign ruling class, and moreover, when Klerouchoi status was given also to police personnel and guards, to distinguish proper militaries from auxiliaries.
Obviously, Katoikoi were more prominent than Klerouchoi, and probably with bigger and richer allotments.

The equipment of Katoikoi Pezoi differs little from the Klerouchoi Pezoi of the past generation.
Probably it was richer, and above all the principal difference was the length of the Sarissa, that in the whole of the Successor’s armies had became longer than in Alexander’s times.

Katoikoi Pezoi

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Probably imitating the Gauls, some corps of Successors' cavalry started to employ the thyreos, as stated by Asklepiodotos speaking of an arm of cavalry called "...thureophoron , when some bear very large oval [or lengthened] aspides for the purpose of protecting the horse as well.”

Katoikoi Hippeis Thyreophoroi

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Katoikoi Hippeis Xystophoroi

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Katoikoi Hippeis Thessaloi

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Galatai Katoikoi

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Thrakioi Katoikoi

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The consequences of the Ptolemaic victory at Raphiah were enormous for the Ptolemaic political internal asset.
Actually, the phalanxes of the Machimoi Epilektoi, even if less trained and well-equipped than the proper Macedonian ones, had played a crucial role in the defeat of the Seleucids, and all the Machimoi were quite aware of that.
Taking courage from the victory on the field, and probably realizing that they were becoming an element of crucial importance for the Ptolemaic structure, Machimoi rebelled in whole Egypt, actually requesting to access in crescent numbers to kleroi (land allotments) and became Klerouchoi.
To avoid the mass scale rebellion to became endemic, in 197 a.C. Ptolemy V grant more land allotments to locals in exchange of military service, and in the ptolemaic papyruses start to appear new military unit, called Laarchiai (from the greek “Laoi”, “People”, normally used my Macedonians to identify native population). In the same period, in Ptolemaic papyruses appeared cavalry unit of natives, called Machimoi Hippeis.
Ultimately, kleroi were granted not only to military personnel, but even to those Machimoi that worked as police personnel and city guards, actually partially changing the role of Klerouchoi.



Machimoi Laarchia

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Machimoin Hippeis

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The Machairophoroi (sword bearers) were elite soldiers that composed the personal guards of magistrates, noblemen and even the royal palace.
Initially only from Macedonian stock, they became with the passing of time a more composite force, that comprehend picked elements from Egyptian and Jewish influent and noble families. They are depicted bare headed, with a xyphos, an oplon and a linothorax


Machairophoroi

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The term Epigonoi, meaning “the descendants”, in Ptolemaic Egypt actually appears to be referred to the sons of the foreign military personnel imported by the Ptolemies to reinforce their recruitment basin, for the most part Thracians and Gauls, that as their fathers had the obligation of military service.

Galatai Epigonoi

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Thrakioi Epigonoi

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During the reign of Ptolemy VI, Ptolemaic army undergo to another reform, this one more technical and not related to social aspect as the previous ones.
Macedonian Phananx formation was becoming obsolete, and if reforming the whole army was probably impractical, apparently a consistent part of combatants were equipped as Thyreophoroi or their heavier respective Thorakitai.
Also, contacts with the Roman realities enhanced the use of the combination of sword and javelin instead of the heavy spear.
If some modern historians argued that the reform not only implied the use of different equipment but even the adoption of a roman-like military structure, we haven’t the possibility to determine how this can be real.

Katoikoi Thyreophoroi

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Katoikoi Thorakitai

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The Gabiniani were in origin a roman garrison left in Egypt by the general Aulus Gabinius, after his restoration of Ptolemy XII, that had fled to Rome after a rebellion.
Quickly the Gabiniani accustomed to the life in Egypt, married local women and actually became more loyal to the Ptolemies, disowning their allegiance to Rome: when the roman governor of Syria sent his sons to recall them to duty to serve in the war between Rome and the Parthians, the Gabiniani not only refused, but even killed the two messengers.
If the former force of the Gabiniani was of Roman legionaries and a contingent of 500 Gallic and Germanic cavalry auxilia, Caesar wrote that they had reinforced their ranks with outcast romans, criminals and fugitives from Roman provinces.

Pedites Gabiniani

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Equites Gabiniani

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[Black9]

Haha, I've actually been waiting for another one of these! Very well done, looks great, and the histories are a great read.

Do you own a library or something?

[JOHANNES]

Impressive superhistorical great

[JOHANNES]

News of the new releases? Thanks great game

[JOHANNES]

Great mod superhistorical

[il Pitta]

MAKEDONIA



ARMY LIST


Toxotai
Sphendonetai
Akontistai
Peltastai Agrianoi
Leukaspides
Euzonoi Peltastai
Hypaspistai Peltastai
Basilikon Agema
Hippeis Thessalioi
Hiera Ilai
Hippakontistai Akrobolistai Terentinoi
Hippeis Makedonikoi
Hippeis Xystophoroi Makedonikoi
Epibatoi Makedonioi

AMPHIPOLIS REFORM (205-201)
Chalkaspides
Thrakioi Klerouchoi
TROOPS WITH BETTER TRAINING&DISCIPLINE
ACCESS TO ILLYRIAN TYPE VESSELS

ANDRISKOS EVENT (149)
Thrakioi Peltastai
Thrakioi Hippakontistai



ROOSTER IN DETAIL

Sphendonetai

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Toxotai

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Akontistai

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Peltastai Agrianoi

The Agrianes were a tribe of mixed Thracian-Illyrian-Paeonian stock, famed for being one of the best skirmishers of the Hellenic world.
Praised javelinemen, they were recruited in big numbers even by Alexander the Great and his Macedonian successors, and proved crucial for the resolution of various battles.

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Leukaspides

In 272, when Pyrrhus was defeated by the united forces of Spartans and Makedon, the Kingdom of Makedonia started to recover… the past years a huge percentage of the standing army deserted and passed to the Epirotes, and even if the enemy was vanquished, the main base of the Macedonian army simply ceased to exists, with a lot of deserters fleeing in other successors kingdoms.
So Antigonos army at start was mainly composed by some groups of mercenaries (mainly Thracian, Celts, Neocretans and Greeks), the elite corps of Hypaspistai Peltastai and the Agema, while in case of need a military levy would be instituted, calling farmers and workers to build up the phalanx.
This phalanx was probably the same that is defined with the term of Leukaspides (white shields), named just in few accounts, a reserve levy troop employed only in time of great need.

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Hypaspistai Peltastai

The “real” standing army of professional soldiers of the Antigonids, the so-called “Peltastai” actually hadn’t much in common with the classical light skirmishers with the same name, but were the heirs of Alexander’s Hypaspistai: equipped with bigger (and more expensive) shields, one of their main duties was to protect the phalanx unprotected flanks.

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Euzonoi Peltastai

“Euzonoi” is a term used to define soldiers (actually of any specific corps) in a particular equipment condition that actually makes them lighter, and is the respective of the Roman “Expediti”.
It is used both to define generic Psiloi (Akontistai/Grosphomachoi, Toxotai, Sphendonetai) or heavier soldiers whose equipment has been modified and made less cumbersome to perform specific stalking or ambush task. The professional Hypaspistai/Peltastai of Antigonid army are noted to be used as Euzonoi to ambush Romans and other enemies in different occasions.

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Basilikon Agema

The Agema was formed of picked Hypaspistai/Peltastai, and was the personal guard of the king.

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Hippeis Thessaloi

As in Alexander’s time, Thessalians provided to Makedonia a big part of its cavalry.
Actually, in our timeframe Makedonian cavalry was composed even more by Thessalian, being them the most part of the cavalry units.

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In Antigonid Macedonia apparently the importance given to cavalry units was quite inferior compared to Alexander’s period.
Relying almost on Thessalians or Thracian and Panniona Celts mercenaries, thetruly Macedonian cavalry actually was a small force.

Hippeis Makedonikoi Xystophoroi

The Xystophoroi are a remnant of old Macedonian cavalry tradition of Alexander’s period.
Without a shield and just with a long two handed spear, they used to confront enemy cavalry or skirmishers and to attack on the rear or pursue already fleeing enemy infantry, because the lack of stirrups made dangerous a frontal charge against a tight standing infantry.
On the other way, only very strong discipline infantries would remain still facing a cavalry charge.

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Hippeis Makedonikoi

In the Antigonid period the shield, that already had became of use in various Greek context, became more and more common within cavalry, to confront shoch&charge techniques of infantry armed with heavy javelins, like Celtic warbands or Romans

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Hiera Ilai

Thanks to funerary monuments, we know that in the Antigonid period the shield became common even for elite cavalry of the king entourage. In particular, a funerary cyst identified by specific reliefs as the one of a royal squadron’s member, depicts a specific panoply, with thraco-macedonian helmet, round shield, a couple of javelins and a kopis. (cfr. Hatzopoulos "L'Organisation de l'armee macedonienne sous les Antigonides", p. 52)

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Hippakontistai Akrobolistai Terentinoi

As for various hellenistic armies of the period, Tarentinoi skirmish cavalry was a common presence in the Antigonid armies. As for the other contexts, the term "Tarentine" reflected more a specific equipment and role on the battlefiled than a real link to the city of Tarentum

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Epibatoi Makedonioi

In spite of his links with lllyria, Antigonid Makedonia never had a strong fleet compared to other powers of the period, however, even if scarce, there is reference of naval troops among the Antigonid army.

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AMPHIPOLIS REFORM (205-201)
The Amphipolis Military Codes were one of the first historically documented attempts to strength the discipline inside of a western army, probably with the goal to bring back Makedonian army to Alexander’s glorious past, making it more efficient and actually to came out from the dark period of the previous century. Furthermore, we know that under Philippos V a lot of Thracians were transferred from the frontier in the Macedonian mainland, and Macedonian citizens were reallocated on the northern borders: these movements obtained so two objective: have more reliable citizens (and so levy troops) on the borders of the kingdom, and bringing new manpower (the Thracians), to replenish the army, in a similar way (even if in a quite lesser scale) of what happened in Ptolemaic Egypt with the enhancement of Thracian, Celtic and Thessalian immigration.
Furthermore, we know that Philippos V, thanks to his contact with Illyrians, at first was given as presents Illyrian ships, then actually he himself start to build a fleet of Lembos and Libyrnis, being far more cheaper and far more fast and maneuverable than greek-style ships.

Chalkaspides

More experienced than Leukaspides, the Chalkaspides (Bronze shield) became the backbone of the Antigonid army.

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Thrakioi Klerouchoi


Thracian infantry is listed, among other foreigners, in the troops of Philippos V, but while Celts, Illyrians an Thracian cavalry are clearly mercenaries or allied troops, Thracian infantry appear to be part of the Macedonian military organization, with distinctive white shields like Makedonian phalanx levy.
Apparently it was composed by Thracians that had became Klerouchs (landowners) inside Makedonia, that Philippos V had reallocated from northern frontier and from Thrace itself to replenish is levy basin.
They are described in the battle of Pydna by Plutarch dressing black robes and using white shield, and for this particular they are sometimes by historians confused with the Leukaspides.

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ANDRISKOS EVENT (149)
Andriskos, a former mercenary captain that claimed to be the son of Perseus, the last king of Macedon, succeeded in recruiting an army of Thracians and seized Macedonia, that not long before had been conquest by Romans.



Thrakioi Peltastai

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Thrakioi Hippakontistai

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[alex33]

Wow really nice. And what i really like is that there are no real "imitation Legionnaires" and i hope that still holds true for the seleucids my favorite diadochi. I always wondered why the producers are so fixated on the view that the successors imitated the legions of rome. perhaps its because of this one statement of Polybius at the daphne parade were he described infantry in the "roman manner". What he didn't know is that similar infantry equipment was used with the diadochi because of galatian and celtic influence who invaded them. Of course their units always evolved, and took some influence from the romans during the Syrian wars but they didn't copy the maniple system so there were no true "fake legions" also i hope the seleucids will get the heitaeroi back in your mod it was said the seleucid companions had their horses front armoured. Anyway i really love what i see great work!!

[Visarion]

I have only seen the Ptolemies but i think Ițm starting to like this mod most... it has the best documentation and the most historical accurate units I ever saw... you should be given a lot of prizes this year... historian, modder, artist... with the marketing you should ask for help because it should be better known... people must find out about your work... I suggest creating signatures with your mod so that fans can use them and post link...

[swingnblues]

I'm guessing there will be a Seleucid roster expansion/refinement forthcoming. That's the one I'm looking forward to most.

[Iutland]

I have only seen the Ptolemies but i think Ițm starting to like this mod most... it has the best documentation and the most historical accurate units I ever saw... you should be given a lot of prizes this year... historian, modder, artist... with the marketing you should ask for help because it should be better known... people must find out about your work... I suggest creating signatures with your mod so that fans can use them and post link...

Thank you for your suggestions Visarion+Rep. That will be on the to-do list once we get closer to a beta release (0.8?).

I'm guessing there will be a Seleucid roster expansion/refinement forthcoming. That's the one I'm looking forward to most.

Me too, il Pitta is still working on the design

[Nikron]

Is there any idea for Epirus?

Great work btw.

Cheers!

[il Pitta]

APEIROS





ARMY LIST
Toxotai
Sphendonetai
Akontistai
Phalangitai Apeirotai
Chaonon Logades
Hippeis Apeirotai
Hippeis Apeirotai Xystophoroi
Hippeis Thessalioi
Hippakontistai Akrobolistai Terentinoi
Basilikon Agema
Epibatoi Apeirotai
Elephantes Lybikoi

ITALIC AND ITALIOTAE TROOPS

Hoplitai Italiotai
Mistophoroi Oskoi
Hippeis Oskoi
Leukaspides Tarentinoi


Toxotai

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Sphendonetai

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Akontistai

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Epibatoi Epirotai

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Phalangitai Apeirotai

The main body of Epirote army is composed by Phalangitai quite similar to the Leukaspides of Makedonia.
Actually, part of them are in fact Macedonians that had switched side at the end of the war between Phyrrus and Demetrius of Macedon in 288 b.C.

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Chaonon Logados


The Chaonians are an Epirote tribe.
From a piece of Plutarch (Parallel Lives, Life of Pyrrhus, 28.2) they are cited as “Logados” (a synonym of “Epilektoi”, actually picked troops), performing a shock attack alongside Gaulish mercenaries against the Spartans. Even if the Epirote army is always described as mainly if not totally composed by Macedonian-style phalangitai, and the Chaonians are quoted among other epirote tribes forming the phalanx, we could presume that the Chaonon Logados referred by Plutarch were equipped in a less cumbersome manner, like the Hypaspystai Peltastai of the Macedons.

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Actually we don’t know nothing about the composition of Epirote cavalry, and even the iconographic sources are scarce. We can assume however they were quite similar to their Macedonian counterparts as was for the infantry.


Hippeis Apeirotai

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Hippeis Apeirotai Xystophoroi

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Hippeis Thessaloi

Like for the Macedonians, inside the Epirote army is attested the presence of Thessalian cavalry (Plutarch, Parallel Lives, Life of Pyrrhus, 17)

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Hippakontistai Akrobolistai Terentinoi

Probably the Epirotes were the first to employ the Tarentine cavalry, at first a cavalry unit raised from the citizens of Taras, and to bring the tarentine manner of horsefighting back to Greece

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Agema

Even if called as the royal infantry of the Ptolemyes, Epirote Basilikon Agema was composed by elite cavalry, as stated by Dionysius of Halicharnassus (Roman Antiquities, XX, 1)

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Elephantes Lybikoi

Pyrrhus recieved, just before his expedition to Italy, 20 war elephants as a present from Ptolemy II of Ptolemaike Basileia.
Thus, they were african elephants, not indian elephants like the one used by the Seleucids nor the small northafrican elephants used by Carthaginians.
They were the bigger and fiercer elephants, but they were difficult to tame and train, and were quite prone to run amok.

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ITALIC AND ITALIOTAE TROOPS

An important percentage of the roster is composed by troops that actually aren’t available in the Epirote homeland and starting position, but could be recruited only in Italy… starting the game in the year of Pyrrhus death, not long ago the Italic expedition, leaving as an open possibility the management of the war with Sparta and Makedonia and a “return” in Southern Italy could be intriguing for the player... also, it provides historically attested units of Italiotae and Italics for the roster, that without it would be simply a cheaper version of Makedonia.

Mistophoroi Oskoi

Many Oscan peoples, like Lucanians, the Bruttians and Samnites, joined the Epirotes as they came to Southern Italy, ready to fight at their side against the Romans (Dionysius of Halicharnassus, Roman Antiquities, XX, 1 and Plutarch, Parallel Lives, Life of Pyrrhus, 17, 4)

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Hippeis Oskoi

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Hoplitai Italiotai

Not only the Italic people, but also the inhabitants of the Greek colonies of Magna Graecia, called Italiotai, joined the Epirotes as Pyrrhus landed in Italy, ready to fight against both Romans and Carthaginians.
Most of them came from the poleis of Taras and Lokroi (cfr.Dionysius of Halicharnassus, Roman Antiquities, XX, 1)

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Leukaspides Tarentinoi

In Italy Pyrrhus put up a forced levy among the inhabitants of Taras, who were Greek colonists, and equipped them in the Macedonian fashion, calling them Leukaspides (Dionysius of Halicharnassus, Roman Antiquities, XX, 1)

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[il Pitta]

ARCHE' SELEUKEIA



ARMY LIST

Pantodapoi Sphendonetai
Pantodapoi Toxotai
Pantodapoi Akontistai
Pantodapoi Epibatoi
Pantodapoi Phalangitai
Chalkaspides
Argyraspides
Hypaspistai
Hippeis Akrobolistai Tarentinoi
Politikoi Hippeis
Politikoi Hippeis Xystophoroi
Aphraktoi Hetairoi
Agema
Drepanophoroi Armai
Elephantes Indikoi

PERSIAN, MEDIAN AND ELAMITE TROOPS
Sphendonetai Persikoi
Toxotai Persikoi
Medopersikoi Takabara Stratiotai
Medopersikoi Sparabara Stratiotai
Hippotoxotai Elymaioi
Median Asabara

CAPPADOCIAN TROOPS
Cappadocian Levies
Cappadocian Asabara

SCYTHIAN TROOPS
Dahae Levies
Dahae Hippotoxotai

ARAB AND JEWISH TROOPS
Araboi Euzonoi
Araboi Stratiotai
Arabes Kamelotoxotai
Iudaeoi Stratiotai


GREEK AND PAEONIAN TROOPS
Euzonoi Mysoi
Hippotoxotai Mysoi
Toxotai Neokretikoi
Peltastai Neokretikoi
Thyreophoroi Neokretikoi
Sphendonetai Agrianoi

II b.C. troops

Thrakioi Katoikoi
Galatikoi Thorakitai Hippeis
Politikoi Hippeis Thyreophoroi
Thorakitai Seleukoi
Kataphraktoi Hetairoi
Kataphraktoi Agema
Elephantes Indikoi Kataphraktoi


Roster in detail


"Pantodapoi" means "from all other places", and actually was a term used to define low-profile native troops of mixed ethnicity, coming from the lower levels of society in the huge Seleucid empire.
Not divided into specific ethnic corps, these soldiers could be a mix of persians, mesopotamians, leucosyrians, anatolians, ecc.
The use of Pantodapoi troops was diverse, and if often they were used as support troops, in other cases they were armed in the macedonian manner and fought as a phalanx.
Furthermore, the Seleucid navy was also for the bigger part composed by "Pantodapoi", in the specificv case Jews, Syrians, Phoenicians and all other peoples with a seafaring tradition.

Pantodapoi Sphendonetai

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Pantodapoi Toxotai

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Pantodapoi Akontistai

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Pantodapoi Phalangitai

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Pantodapoi Epibatoi

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The division of specific phalanx corps inside the Seleucid army is still unclear, but apparently, beside for the Pantodapoi levies, there were two distinct corps of greco-macedonian stock, the Chalkaspides (Bronze-Shields) and the Argyraspides (Silver-Shield).
Apparently the Chalkaspides were the bulk of the army, while the Argyraspides were an elite similar to the Hypaspistai Peltastai of Makedonia and Ptolemaike Basileia, with roots in Alexander's army (Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander, VII, 11, 3).

Chalkaspides

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Argyraspides

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Hypaspistai

The Seleucid Hypaspistai were the imperial guard, probably picked Argyrapspides, with the same role of Hypaspistai Agema within Makedonia and Basilikon Agema within the Ptolemies.

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Hippeis Akrobolistai Tarentinoi

As for the rest of the classical world, Tarentine-like armed skirmish cavalry was widely used ny the Seleucids

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In the Seleucid army the cavalry occupied a predominant role.
Even the greco-macedonian cavalry corps were slowly inflitrated by local elements, notably by Medians, and this apparently brought a benefit to the Seleucid cavalry, that could take advantage from the famed horse-riding tradition of some oriental peoples.
Even the Hetairoi, one of the elite corps of the Seleucid cavalry, were raised with a high percentage within noble Median citizens

Politikoi Hippeis

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Politikoi Hippeis Xystophoroi

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Aphraktoi Hetairoi

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Agema

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Drepanophoroi Armai

The use of heavy war chariots by Seleucids is highly emphasized in roman sources, and probably an heritage of the Persian warfare.

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Elephantes Indikoi

The first war elephants of the Seleucids were donated to them by the Maurya empire of India, in exchange of the eastern satrapies of Arachosia and Gedrosia and sealing their peace treaty.
The Seleucid war elephants always proved themselves worthy, being bigger than the north african breed used by the Carthaginians on one hand, and on the other, even if smaller of the fierce african elephants used by Ptolemies and Epirotes, far more reliable and well trained.

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PERSIAN, MEDIAN AND ELAMITE TROOPS

The Macedonians often relied on levies raised within the Persian population.
It is noted that Peucestas raised persian archers and slingers (Diodorus Siculus, 19.17.4—6). Furthermore, the intermingling of the macedonian ruling class with Medo-Persian nobles made that the rulers of some satrapies were of mixed stock, and raised armies in the persian way in the local population. At Raphia for example is noted the presence of a commander named Aspasianus the Mede, that brought a contingent raisewd within communities of Persian culture, like Cissians, Cadusians, Carmanians and Medians.

Sphendonetai Persikoi

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Toxotai Persikoi

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Medopersikoi Takabara Stratiotai

"Takabara" meant, in Persian, alternatively "Small Shield Berares" or "Cap wearer" (cfr. http://www.romanarmytalk.com/25-alli....html?start=15).
However, it appeared to identify a distinct kind of Persian warrior, something like and heavy peltast use do line fighting more than skirmish.

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Medopersikoi Sparabara Stratiotai


"Sparabara" meant "Shield-bearer", or more precisely, "Wicker-Shield Bearer", and is probably referred to persian line fighters with spear and huge shield. As for Takabara, these warriors were the bulk of the Achaemenid infantry, and virtualy their equipment was still in use by the Medo-Persian levies under the Seleucids.

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Hippotoxotai Elymaioi

Elamites were the inhabitants of the Eastern shores of the Persian Gulf. They were famed as horse archers, and cited among the various horse archers in the Seleucid army during the war against the Romans (Appian, History of Rome, the Syrian Wars, 32)

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Median Asabara

The Medians were famed as horsemen, and actually an increasing part of elite seleucid riders were recruited among Median noble citizens.

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CAPPADOCIAN TROOPS

Cappadocians were the inhabitants of southern Anatolia, of mixed anatolian and greek stock, and persian-influenced.
They were depicted wearing phrygian caps in persian art, and depicted as horsemen in local southern anatolian art, with pilos crested helmets, linothorakes or spolades and spear.

Cappadocian Levies

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Cappadocian Asabara

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SCYTHIAN TROOPS

The Dahae were a Schytian people from were the Parthians came.
They are attested as part of the Seleucid native troops by Appian.

Dahae Levies

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Dahae Hippotoxotai

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ARAB AND JEWISH TROOPS
Arabs and akin people are cited both as camel-mounted archers (Appian, History of Rome, Syrian Wars, 32) and as infantry (Polybius, V, 79)

Araboi Euzonoi

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Araboi Stratiotai

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Arabes Kamelotoxotai

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Iudaeoi Stratiotai

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GREEK AND PAEONIAN TROOPS

In the western part of the Seleucid empire were normally raised as levies or mercenaries greek warriors.
Some of them had a specific ethnic equipment, as the Mysians, famed as slirmishers and horse-archers, while others use to fight with the so-called "Cretan" equipment (basically as light thyreophoroi and peltastai), that had became a standard within Ionians and generally west anatoliam greeks (Phrygians, Trallians, Cilicians, Lycians, ecc.)


Euzonoi Mysoi

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Hippotoxotai Mysoi

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Toxotai Neokretikoi

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Peltastai Neokretikoi

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Thyreophoroi Neokretikoi

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Sphendonetai Agrianoi

Agrianes slingers are cited by Polybius (V, 79), probably recruited as mercenaries via Pergamon.

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II b.C. troops

During the contrasts with oriental armies of steppe people, the Seleucids start to employ more and more often heavy armors for their cavalry units.
In battle against the Romans are cited both proper Cataphracts and "Mail clad but light armed Companion cavalry", and even a force of "mail clad Galatian horsemen" (Appian, History of Rome, Syrian Wars, 32)

Kataphraktoi Hetairoi

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Kataphraktoi Agema

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Galatikoi Thorakitai Hippeis

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Politikoi Hippeis Thyreophoroi

With the constant contacts with the Galatians and the Romans, as for the Ptolemies, the use of the thyreos became common within the Seleucid cavalry.

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Thorakitai Seleukoi

As for the Ptolemies, during the second period of the Seleucid Empire the contacts with both Celts and Romans stimulate the training of new kind of military corps, with an approach to the battlefield more dinamic that the hoplites or the phalangites, that Polybius described "armed in the Roman fashion, with their coats made of chain armor" (XXXI, 3, 1).

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Thrakioi Katoikoi
As in the Ptolemaic kingdom, Seleucids start to employ Thracian mercenaries and to settle them as Katoikoi in their lands to compensate to the shortage of Greek and Macedonian manpower for infantry, having the oriental levies fame of being with short morale.

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Elephantes Indikoi Kataphraktoi

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[Dangerman]

Those Seleucids look great . Will the rooster lists posted here be all they will get in the GC and will say example the Galatikoi Thorakitai Hippeis require say to conquer Galatia et Cappodocia (or whatever the correct spelling is) liek the Roman Auxiliaries?

[il Pitta]

Thank you!
I try to make the rosters as historical as possibile, but however, all them could incurr (and some have already incurred) in some slight modifications, as I stumble in some new interesting evidence or CA made available new graphic elements.
A lot of units have their Area of Recruiting (not posted, so you must discover it XD), but in specific the Galatikoi Thorakitai Hippeis don't have one, being apparently something more complex than a regional or a simple mercenary unit.
A whole unit of mail clad galatian horsemen in my opinion was something that the Seleucid partially recruited and structured by themselves (I wouldn't believe that an all-high-nobles warband would join as simple mercs).

BTW, there are some units that are not trainable as faction but will be available as mercs in the specific territory (As Galatians for the Epirotes).

[skysyk]

Could you explain how Recruitment of Seleuci Armies will work? Will the Pantodapoi Units be strictly recruited in the Area of Origin, or will there be all-out-recruitment via the Auxilary Barracks?

[il Pitta]

Could you explain how Recruitment of Seleuci Armies will work? Will the Pantodapoi Units be strictly recruited in the Area of Origin, or will there be all-out-recruitment via the Auxilary Barracks?

The Pantodapoi units (Pantodapoi Toxotai, Pantodapoi Akontistai, Pantodapoi Sphendonetai, Pantodapoi Phalangitai and Pantodapoi Epibatoi), representing low level citizens across the whole empire will not have an AOE, but an all-out-recruitment.

On the other hand PERSIAN, MEDIAN, ELAMITE, CAPPADOCIAN, SCYTHIAN, ARABIC, JEWISH, IONIAN, PAEONIAN, MYSIANS, ECC. will be regulated by specific Area of Recruiting.

[skysyk]

Thanks for clarifying ! ^^

[Iutland]

We will update the CAC lite unit guide to include the units AoR linking besides the existing Reforms information ;-)

[il Pitta]

BAKTRIANE

In spite of being the most far east of the seleucid satrapies, actually Baktria was quite deeper hellenized in respect of other territories of Arké Seleukeia.

After two huge uprisings of the greek colonist population against the central power, in 325 and 323 B.C., the first one motivated with the will of the colonists to abandon Baktria and return to their former homes in Greece (Diodorus Siculus, XVII, 99, 5-6) and the second one to obtain social rights superior to the natives and commodities of the "Hellenic mode of life" (Diodorus Siculus, XVIII, 7), the Seleucis rulers strongly enhanced the immigration of the greek population in the area, first by a continuous flow of greek mercenaries, expecially from Ionia and Caria, that were settled to secure the region, and after that developing a stron city-building policy.

Between the end of IV b.C. and the first half of III B.C. going to Baktria as a mercenary became so popular that was even a cliché in greek comedy (cfr. Menander's "Samia"), and the fact that the bigger part of the new colonists were Ionian greeks is probably reflected by the terms "Yavana" and "Yonaka" used in the Indian sources (Mahabharata and Milindapanha) ti identify the greco-macedons.


ARMY LIST

Pantodapoi Akontistai
Pantodapoi Epibatoi
Sphendonetai Persikoi
Toxotai Persikoi
Arya Hillmen
Dahae Levies
Dahae Hippotoxotai
Pantodapoi Phalangitai
Phalangitai Baktrioi
Hypaspistai Baktrioi
Hippotoxotai Baktrioi
Elaphroi Baktrioi
Hippeis Baktrioi
Politikoi Hippeis Xystophoroi
Drepanophoroi Armai
Elephantes Indikoi
Sindhu Levies
Sindhu Skirmisher
Sindhu Bowmen
Sindhu Levy Spearmen

II b.C. troops
Kataphraktoi
Elephantes Indikoi Kataphraktoi




ROSTER IN DETAIL

Pantodapoi Akontistai

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Pantodapoi Epibatoi

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Sphendonetai Persikoi

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Toxotai Persikoi

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Arya Hillmen

These mountain-dwelling indoeuropean peoples, divided in many tribes, are the original inhabitants of the area of modern Afghanistan.

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On the north borders of Bactria, over Transoxania, there was the immense steppe.
In these area the Baktrians came in contact with diverse scythian steppe people: Saka and Dahae on the north-west and Massagetae on the north-east.
Especially Dahae are recorded as levy troops among the Seleucids.

Dahae Levies

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Dahae Hippotoxotai

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Even in Baktria, the main tactical solution for the infantries remained the macedonian phalanx.
Phalangites were enrolled amonf macedonian and greek colonists, but in time of need even the local population was armed in that manner.
(cfr. Montvert, "The Armies of Baktria", chapter 3)

Baktrian phalangite depicet on coin and baktrian phalangite statue

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Pantodapoi Phalangitai

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Phalangitai Baktrioi

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Hypaspistai Baktrioi

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Thyreophoroi Indohellenikoi

Bactrian Thyreophoros on relief

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The use of the thyreos shield is testified by various depiction in bactrian, indo-greek and even indian reliefs, and even by direct finding of a thyreos remains at Ai Khanum.
Probably it was inherited by the Ionian and Carians mercenaries settled after the huge revolts at the end of the IV B.C., that fought in "Neocretan" equipment.

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The point of strength of Baktrian armies were undoubtfully the cavalry, in pure seleucid style.
Baktrian's satrapy forces that joined the Seleucid army are recorded just as horsemen (Polybius, X, 49), and even the Indian sources recall the prowess of Baktrian cavalry, as in the Mahabharata, were are recorded 3000 "Yavana" riders equipped with spears or sword and javelin and called "highly honoured among the heroes", and especially in the Mahabharata Book 8m, the Karnaparva, there are cited riders of the "Bahlikas", a term that the scolars believed is the indian version of "Baktrian" (cfr. William Woodthorpe Tarn, "The Greeks in Bactria and India", pp.125, 135, 169), equipped with javelins, spears, quivers and bows, and some armors.
The use of horse archers, testified by the numismatic, was probably inherited by the steppe peoples whose with the Baktrians were in contact on their northern borders.
However, maybe except for the cavalry guard of the satrap/king, probably equipped in the macedonian xystophoroi fashion and raised among greek and macedonian citizens, the bulk of baktrian cavalry was probably of mixed Greek and Indo-Baktrian population, the latter with a strong tradition of horseback fighting (cfr. Montvert, The Armies of Bactria - chapter 3, p. 41)

Bactrian horse-archer on coin

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Hippotoxotai Baktrioi

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Elaphroi Baktrioi

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Hippeis Baktrioi

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Politikoi Hippeis Xystophoroi

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War chariots, along with elephants, are widely attested in both indian and greek literature, in reference to Baktrian forces.
The army of king Milinda (Menander I Soter) cited in the indian buddhist treatise Milindapanha counted both war elephant and war chariots, and while Justinus spoke of Baktrian war chariots (XLI, 6, 5), Polybius attested the presence of war elephants (Polybius, XI, 34, 10)

Drepanophoroi Armai

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Elephantes Indikoi

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When the Baktrians went over the Hindu-Kushm they started to re-occupy the regions of Arachosia and Gedrosia, where Greek populations had been living side by side with the natives since before the acquisition of the territory by Chandragupta from Seleucus in 303 a.C.
Obviously the occupation of these territories gave to the Baktrians an even strong contact with the Indian culture, that in this context is called Indo-Greek.
There was a strong intemingling with the natives, and at some points some Greco-Baktrian rulers even embrace Buddhism.

Sindhu Bowmen

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Sindhu Skirmishers

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Sindhu Levies

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Sindhu Levy Spearmen

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II b.C. troops
As for the Seleucids, the use of heavy cataphract cavalry is probably to attest during the first half of the II B.C., after strong armed contects with steppe armies and as could be testified by the finding of parts of cataphract armor at Ai Khanum (cfr. Montvert, The Armies of Bactria - chapter 3, p. 39).

Kataphraktoi

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Elephantes Indikoi Kataphraktoi

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