Hippeis, not Hippies

[hoplite14gr]

Only in Sparta Hippeis were some "creme de la creme" unit.
As Paul says in other cities Hippeis meant social class able to provide cavalry.

The "royal guard"as understood today coresponded more to the tyrrants bodyguards or to Macedonia.

City states never relinquish control of the elite unit entirely to one person. Pelopidas is a notable exception.

So in my opinion the 300 hippeis were a unit at the disposal of King in case of emergency.

The king had two parastatae in Battle who preformed the role of actual bodygyards.

Agesilaos unit of 80 was also an aberaration.

Kind regards