Sacred Band of Thebes

[Ghostmojo]

I believe that the pairs were entitled charioteer and companion, and one was always older than the other in typical Greek pederastic fashion.

They fought at Tegyra, Leuktra and Khaironeia and certainly made their mark in their brief 40 year existence. The initial notion of spreading them throughout the ranks can't have lasted very long if they were formed in 378BC and fought as a unit at Tegyra in 375BC.

Has there been any studies into any specific distinguishing features they may have had? Any uniformity of dress, armour, shield design etc.?

The Theban Sacred Band are perhaps the brief 'shining light' in the otherwise dubious history of that Boiotian city - often the 'black sheep' of the Hellenic family of states. All the Greek city-states were highly self-interested, but even Sparta occasionally acted for the greater good - and - recognised the actions of those who also acted in the greater good. After the Peloponnesian War, Thebes (and others it must be said) were all too keen to see Athens razed from the Attikan landscape. The Spartans refused citing Athens' worthy behaviour in the Persian Wars. They also no doubt did this to spite Thebes (and to keep an arrow in the Boiotian League's side) but generally I don't believe they were quite so vindictive as Thebes.

Thebes - and Argos - were often the non-joiners in events of pan-Hellenic import. They both 'medized' to some degree or remained neutral. Their latterday Pan-Greekness at Khaironeia was a very late development of common conscience (if indeed it was that at all) ...