Unit Browser for RTR: Imperium Surrectum

Short description

Carthage's military elite, the Sacred Band were lavishly equipped and fought in the classic hoplite fashion.

Description

The Sacred Band was the military elite of Carthage. Lavishly equipped, this formation was comprised of Carthaginian citizens of high rank. As Carthaginians were exempt from military service, the Sacred Band were those who had volunteered for a military life. They fought as a well-drilled phalanx of hoplites, in muscled iron cuirasses with pteruges, plumed Montefortino helmets, greaves and round shields. The large boss-less "Argive" shields are about a metre in diameter, at the high end of the size range for "Argive" shields. They have no blazon, but are simply painted a plain white.

The Sacred Band's main weapon was the thrusting spear, some nine feet long, with an iron head, used in the overarm thrust. The secondary weapon was the short, straight sword, similar to early Celtic and Spanish types, and used for close-fighting. The Sacred Band wore white tunics of good quality, reflecting their high social status.

Diodorus reports the Sacred Band at the battle of Crimesus in 341 "… the Carthaginians who composed the Sacred Battalion, twenty-five hundred in number and drawn from the ranks of those citizens who were distinguished for valour and reputation as well as for wealth, were all cut down after a valiant struggle…" (Diod. 16.80).

The Sacred Band were highly regarded infantry. Plutarch describes the Sacred Band at Crimesus "… bearing white shields, whom they guessed to be all Carthaginians, from the splendour of their arms" and in close-fighting with Timoleon's Siciliot hoplites "They Sacred Band, for their part, stoutly received and sustained his first onset, and having their bodies armed with breast-plates of iron, and helmets of brass on their heads, besides great shields to cover and secure them, they could easily repel the charge of Greek spears" (Plutarch, Timoleon).

Diodorus' mentions the Punic commander Hanno with the "Sacred Band of selected men" forming the right-wing of the Punic line against Agathocles' army in Africa in 310 (Diod. 20.10-12), and again describes them as formidable: Agathocles posted himself and his finest "bodyguard" of hoplites opposite them. "A gallant battle developed, and Hanno, who had fighting under him the Sacred Band of selected men and was intent upon gaining the victory by himself, pressed heavily upon the Greeks and slew many of them."

Diodorus' mention of the Sacred Band in Africa in 310 suggests that this elite unit was only encountered overseas very rarely, as the main Carthaginian army was in Sicily at this time.