The Immortals

[Sean Manning]

In fact Xenophon mentions a column or troops around the king;
(An I, 8.26) sun toutois de on, kathora basilea kai to amph' ekeinov stiphos"
(Being (Cyrus) with these (his companions), sees the King and the column around )
Stiphos is something compact, and in close array. Aeschilos refers to ships, but in this conyext of Cunaxa can be an elite infantry unit.

I'm pretty sure that the bodyguards around both kings at Cunaxa were infantry. Still, some infantry could well have been involved in that fight (I'd have to review Plutarch to know and I don't have the time).

Artabanos\\n[quote]The "Immortals" were not really literally “body guardsâ€