Unit Browser for RTR: Imperium Surrectum

Short description

This general has a bodyguard of loyal, spear-armed, and well-armoured hetairoi to accompany him onto the battlefield.

Description

Antigonid generals are accompanied by their picked Hetairoi or ‘Companions’ – those near the king. The Hetaroi were the elite shock cavalry of the Macedonian kingdom, well-mounted on strong horses, and lavishly equipped with a metal cuirass, greaves, as well as a large (plumed) helmet. The latter are mainly of the Boiotian type, but smaller numbers of the Companions have also been equipped with Crested Phrygian and Konos type helmets. The Hetairoi fought in the ‘Macedonian style’, charging home with the typical one-handed cavalry lance, the xyston. This cavalry spear was about seven to ten feet in length, made of tough cornel wood, and generally used to stab and thrust the enemy. When the shaft broke, it was most likely reversed in order to bring the metal butt spike into play – or it was dropped and the sword was drawn (Sidnell, Warhorse (2007), p. 80). Like all bodyguards, this unit is best committed to the fight at the point of crisis, when the general's inspirational leadership and the combat power of his men can tip the balance in your favour.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The cavalry of Alexander and his heirs have always been treated as a dazzling exception to the generally poor picture painted of ancient horsemen. Even though the title Companions was applied to the whole Macedonian heavy cavalry, among them the Royal Squadron or ‘ile basilike’ held a special position as the king’s bodyguard. It was larger than the regular units of Hetairoi, probably numbering three hundred picked horsemen on average (Sidnell, Warhorse (2007), p. 76-79).

Among those called royal guards, the seven Somatophylakes were most prestigious. Drawn from the highest ranks of Macedonian nobility, these men often served as individual military commanders, and should not be confused with the actual bodyguards (Heckel, The "Somatophylakes" (1978)). Ma (Court, King, and Power (2011), p. 533-534) argues that the Somatophylakes would have disappeared together with the fall of the Argead dynasty.

Philip II had developed an efficient recruiting system to ensure a steady supply of new Companions. Macedon’s leading families were to send him their sons from the age of fourteen onwards in order to serve as royal pages (paides basilikoi) at the king’s expense. Even though they also learned writing and general academic skills, the main focus of this educational program was on horsemanship and weapon skills. The pages had special privileges, and could only be punished by the king himself. This system ensured a strong personal loyalty of Companions for their king, and went a long way to creating the strong esprit de corps of this most elite of units in the Antigonid army (Sidnell, Warhorse (2007), p. 79; Sekunda, Macedonian Armies (2012), p. 8).

Apart from their military role, the king’s bodyguard also formed the social elite of the Antigonid monarchy. Cults and festivals played an important role in cementing the relations between the king and his nobility. The festival of Zeus Hetairideia, celebrated among Macedonians and the neighbouring Magnetes, was explicitly meant to strengthen the ties of comradeship between king and bodyguards, and also officially marked the admission of new members into its ranks (Mari, Traditional Cults (2011), p. 456).