11-16-2007, 02:10 PM
The Achaemenid infantry is mostly said to be a light force, equipped for missile attacks, which was also the reason why it lost against the Hellenic heavy infantry.
Because of that impression I have made an illustration displaying a Persian heavy infantryman. That image was mainly because of Marathon, where the Greek hoplites encountered an Achaemenid light infantry force. But this force was neither Persian nor the main force of the expedition army of Darius.
At that period Persian infantryman were only present in the Royal body guards regiment and were the core troops of garrisons across the empire, all other Persians were already cavalryman in that period. This is exactly what Xenophon reports and had seen with his own eyes, Herodotus on the other hand could only tell what the Greek soldiers saw.
The Greek soldiers could not tell about Persian core troops during the Persian wars, because they never had to fight with them, except for the Spartans and others at Thermopylae which didn't survive to tell about them. After Athens was taken and the Greek victory at sea, the Persian heavy infantry went back to Sardis with the King, leaving behind non-Persian light and heavy infantry. From that point the Immortals only reappear at Gaugamela if at all.
The infantry forces we see on the vases telling about Marathon, only show the ordinary Achaemenid infantry force, a force of mainly non-Persian, or even non-Iranic people (the largest part of Iranic people were cavalryman). In fact there would have been no Iranic infantry force worth to mention if the Persians didn't migrate into the Persis were no horses could be breed. Xenophon tells us that the Persians were the infantry force of their Mede cousins because their ruggedness gained due to the harsh life in the Zagros mountains. But once they had won their empire they switched to be a cavalry force like their ancestors, except for the Immortals.
The ordinary light infantry force of the Achaemenids was a force designed to attack the opponent with missiles and protect themselves against enemy missiles with large wickerwork shields. Once it came to close combat, these light infantry force would try to stop the enemy with their large shields and spears until the main force, namely the cavalry could outflank the enemy. This tactic worked against most people inside the empire, but it was of course less effective against the Hellenic heavy infantry. However to think that Darius encountered Phalanx warfare and hoplites just at Marathon, being totally surprised by it is wrong. This light infantry was effective if combined with the main force of the cavalry, however combine-arms tactics are also prone to errors.
Something went wrong at Marathon with this, at the time of Darius, standard warfare method. The problem is that Marathon became an example for the "light missile infantry force only" of the Achaemenids and the impression came into being that the whole Achaemenid military was based on the light infantry.
The Hellenic infantry force was of course stronger than the Persian since the Immortals were only a force of 10.000 man, but they were very well equipped, trained and had legacy of Cyrus' heavy Persian infantry force above them.
For that reason my illustration is as far as I know the first example of an Immortal heavy infantryman. Its based on Xenophons descriptions, Herodotus and several archaeological findings.
1: A Kyrbasia/Medo-Persian Hood is worn over an iron spangenhelm similar in design to the Scythian Kuban-type helmet. I have combined the spangenhelm technologie of two spangenhelms found around Sardis with the "Aryan" Kuban style. Such an, for it’s time, advanced helmet was chosen by me because of the high rank of the soldier; however the helmet is of course based on speculation. An iron-mask as described worn by the Achaemenid elite cavalry is possible for this high ranking infantry but nowhere reported.
2: A throat and neck protection is also used. A scale and leather variant made of iron. Examples for Persian infantry wearing such throat/neck protectors are shown on seals and also Xenophon reports of throat protection used already by the early Persians and Medians.
3: The cuirass is an corselet with scale armour made of iron. This type was used widely among Indo-Aryan groups. The side protection is made of leather, but scales are also possible.
4: As main weapon the spear and the large and heavy shield is used. Xenophon apparently said that this shield was the old and common shield of the Persian close combat troops. This type should have been the shield of the Immortals of the 6th and 5th century BC and is made of bronze and most likely a leather/wood combination. The spear is especially designed for the use with this shield type and has a counter weight mounted at its end to be used one handed inside the battle line while still being of a relatively large size. Its spearhead is made of iron and the "hooks" at its end seem to have been used only by the Immortals, or maybe only by the Golden Pomegranate-bearers which gives the form of the counterweight of the spear.
5: An Elamo-Persian long bow is also used, carried between the gap of the shoulder armour and the throat/neck protection. A Persian quiver is carried at the back. This weapon might have been put aside when it came to close combat, however the quick use of it by the rear lines would be possible and was common among Persians. As heavy armoured troops, the Immortals could also effectively fight battles at distance.
6: As very close combat weapons the battleaxe is used as the main weapon. Its blunt rear is useful against heavy armoured opponents. The battleaxe was a prestigious weapon for the Persians with its origin in their pre-migration cavalry past. As secondary weapon an akenakes short sword is worn, the typical weapon of Scytho-Iranics.
7: Extra protection is provided by leather forearm and shin/knee protectors. There is no evidence for this kind of protection; however it’s very likely for such a heavy armoured infantry. The Persians always wore trousers and tunics with sleeves; this would of course hide any of those protections.
Many of these details were only possible because this forum and certain members, thanks.
![[Image: immortalcuirassierpublito5.jpg]](http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/5934/immortalcuirassierpublito5.jpg)
Because of that impression I have made an illustration displaying a Persian heavy infantryman. That image was mainly because of Marathon, where the Greek hoplites encountered an Achaemenid light infantry force. But this force was neither Persian nor the main force of the expedition army of Darius.
At that period Persian infantryman were only present in the Royal body guards regiment and were the core troops of garrisons across the empire, all other Persians were already cavalryman in that period. This is exactly what Xenophon reports and had seen with his own eyes, Herodotus on the other hand could only tell what the Greek soldiers saw.
The Greek soldiers could not tell about Persian core troops during the Persian wars, because they never had to fight with them, except for the Spartans and others at Thermopylae which didn't survive to tell about them. After Athens was taken and the Greek victory at sea, the Persian heavy infantry went back to Sardis with the King, leaving behind non-Persian light and heavy infantry. From that point the Immortals only reappear at Gaugamela if at all.
The infantry forces we see on the vases telling about Marathon, only show the ordinary Achaemenid infantry force, a force of mainly non-Persian, or even non-Iranic people (the largest part of Iranic people were cavalryman). In fact there would have been no Iranic infantry force worth to mention if the Persians didn't migrate into the Persis were no horses could be breed. Xenophon tells us that the Persians were the infantry force of their Mede cousins because their ruggedness gained due to the harsh life in the Zagros mountains. But once they had won their empire they switched to be a cavalry force like their ancestors, except for the Immortals.
The ordinary light infantry force of the Achaemenids was a force designed to attack the opponent with missiles and protect themselves against enemy missiles with large wickerwork shields. Once it came to close combat, these light infantry force would try to stop the enemy with their large shields and spears until the main force, namely the cavalry could outflank the enemy. This tactic worked against most people inside the empire, but it was of course less effective against the Hellenic heavy infantry. However to think that Darius encountered Phalanx warfare and hoplites just at Marathon, being totally surprised by it is wrong. This light infantry was effective if combined with the main force of the cavalry, however combine-arms tactics are also prone to errors.
Something went wrong at Marathon with this, at the time of Darius, standard warfare method. The problem is that Marathon became an example for the "light missile infantry force only" of the Achaemenids and the impression came into being that the whole Achaemenid military was based on the light infantry.
The Hellenic infantry force was of course stronger than the Persian since the Immortals were only a force of 10.000 man, but they were very well equipped, trained and had legacy of Cyrus' heavy Persian infantry force above them.
For that reason my illustration is as far as I know the first example of an Immortal heavy infantryman. Its based on Xenophons descriptions, Herodotus and several archaeological findings.
1: A Kyrbasia/Medo-Persian Hood is worn over an iron spangenhelm similar in design to the Scythian Kuban-type helmet. I have combined the spangenhelm technologie of two spangenhelms found around Sardis with the "Aryan" Kuban style. Such an, for it’s time, advanced helmet was chosen by me because of the high rank of the soldier; however the helmet is of course based on speculation. An iron-mask as described worn by the Achaemenid elite cavalry is possible for this high ranking infantry but nowhere reported.
2: A throat and neck protection is also used. A scale and leather variant made of iron. Examples for Persian infantry wearing such throat/neck protectors are shown on seals and also Xenophon reports of throat protection used already by the early Persians and Medians.
3: The cuirass is an corselet with scale armour made of iron. This type was used widely among Indo-Aryan groups. The side protection is made of leather, but scales are also possible.
4: As main weapon the spear and the large and heavy shield is used. Xenophon apparently said that this shield was the old and common shield of the Persian close combat troops. This type should have been the shield of the Immortals of the 6th and 5th century BC and is made of bronze and most likely a leather/wood combination. The spear is especially designed for the use with this shield type and has a counter weight mounted at its end to be used one handed inside the battle line while still being of a relatively large size. Its spearhead is made of iron and the "hooks" at its end seem to have been used only by the Immortals, or maybe only by the Golden Pomegranate-bearers which gives the form of the counterweight of the spear.
5: An Elamo-Persian long bow is also used, carried between the gap of the shoulder armour and the throat/neck protection. A Persian quiver is carried at the back. This weapon might have been put aside when it came to close combat, however the quick use of it by the rear lines would be possible and was common among Persians. As heavy armoured troops, the Immortals could also effectively fight battles at distance.
6: As very close combat weapons the battleaxe is used as the main weapon. Its blunt rear is useful against heavy armoured opponents. The battleaxe was a prestigious weapon for the Persians with its origin in their pre-migration cavalry past. As secondary weapon an akenakes short sword is worn, the typical weapon of Scytho-Iranics.
7: Extra protection is provided by leather forearm and shin/knee protectors. There is no evidence for this kind of protection; however it’s very likely for such a heavy armoured infantry. The Persians always wore trousers and tunics with sleeves; this would of course hide any of those protections.
Many of these details were only possible because this forum and certain members, thanks.
Bahram Ardavan-Dorood
