The "Fred thread": the Argead Macedonian Army

[Paullus Scipio]

Ruben wrote:

No, he's just in the background. Hellenistic artists often rendered depth of field strangely, so that figures sometimes appear to float above others, when they are meant to be behind them.

Have to agree with Ruben here. The horse/mule with it's neck turned is 'loose' and may represent the baggage animal that started the battle ( note it is 'harness free' ). The animal is facing left, with it's head curved and turned back to the right.The figure in the foreground, in front of the shield, is a Macedonian cavalryman or mounted officer, sitting astride a stumbling horse - a senior officer perhaps, to judge by his cuirass, and badge of 'knot of hercules'. The figure in the background with shield seems to be coming to his aid. A clincher here that he is a heavy infantryman, hence sarissaphoroi is the typical Antigonid Infantry helmet, and 'knee' portion of a greave, visible in the photo just below the shield and to the left of the falling mounted man's hip. Note: the Infantryman holds the shield high, to parry a blow from a Roman horseman to the left ( out of picture here), and hence is using a porpax. Were he to have a 'hanging' shield, he could not do this and would be dead - unable to protect himself.....