03-04-2013, 05:17 PM
A basic mistake made when talking about "shock" cavalry is to think that its task was to attack infantry. Instead, such cavalry was mainly developed to attack cavalry. Up to the time of Alexander, the usual tactic followed by all cavalries was to attack the enemy with javelins, then retreat and attack again in a maneuver called (in Greek) exeligmos, performed by ordered cavalry, not dispersed. Armor was mainly useful in order to minimize casualties taken from such exchange of missiles. From time to time, there was the occasional melee, but it was very limited and not the "proper", usual method.
Alexander did not use cavalry against massed infantry, ever... The hetaeroi/companions were armed with the long xyston and their duty was to swiftly attack enemy cavalry, which would either flee (being allowed no space to perform the exeligmos) or stand and receive the companions' charge, which would bring them at a disadvantage, since they were attacked by what we call lancers being javeliners themselves. The wedge formation, supposedly adopted from the Thracians, is mainly praised in the ancient books for its maneuverability which allowed the ile/squadron to more easily change direction and thus choose its target while rectangular formations could not easily do that. The wedge point in this era was supposedly a single man unlike the later wedges (of the Byzantines for example) which practically were trapezoid in shape.
The most usual reason why some people are misled into believing that the Companions attacked infantry is that they neglect the fact that Alexander's attacks against Dareius were not attacks against infantry. The Royal Friends of Dareius, his bodyguard unit, were a cavalry squadron, an ile, not footmen as many mistakenly think. Alexander never attacked massed infantry with his "shock" cavalry but he did use cavalry against dispersed infantry, at least as a deterrent (Issus).
Alexander did not use cavalry against massed infantry, ever... The hetaeroi/companions were armed with the long xyston and their duty was to swiftly attack enemy cavalry, which would either flee (being allowed no space to perform the exeligmos) or stand and receive the companions' charge, which would bring them at a disadvantage, since they were attacked by what we call lancers being javeliners themselves. The wedge formation, supposedly adopted from the Thracians, is mainly praised in the ancient books for its maneuverability which allowed the ile/squadron to more easily change direction and thus choose its target while rectangular formations could not easily do that. The wedge point in this era was supposedly a single man unlike the later wedges (of the Byzantines for example) which practically were trapezoid in shape.
The most usual reason why some people are misled into believing that the Companions attacked infantry is that they neglect the fact that Alexander's attacks against Dareius were not attacks against infantry. The Royal Friends of Dareius, his bodyguard unit, were a cavalry squadron, an ile, not footmen as many mistakenly think. Alexander never attacked massed infantry with his "shock" cavalry but he did use cavalry against dispersed infantry, at least as a deterrent (Issus).
