3. Preview: African AOR
Libyan Hoplites:
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This infantry was lately recruited in coastal and inner cities along the african shore. Unlike peasants levied in villages, these are the wealthiest libyan citizens, equipped with the classic hoplite panoply, including the xyston, an affordable chalcidian helmet, a light and cheap leather cuirass, a wood aspis, a short xiphos, and greaves. They are well-trained and numerous compared to the carthaginian hoplites, beeing a large part of the african infantry. They were laterly succeeded by phalanx-trained units, mixed with punic citizen to form late campaign liby-punic hoplites, but these were still recruited locally and considered as a well-equipped hoplite militia.
Liby-Iberian Infantry:
Libyan Infantry:
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#1: The basic infantry was always guaranteed by emeregency recruits of light spearmen, with a wicker thureos and a short spear. Recruited amongst peasantry and low-class citizens, they were unarmoured, few if not trained, and of poor morale, beeing of safer use as garrison, although their massive presence in the battlefield can always being useful to fill the gaps and absorb the major impact of enemy attacks. The meaning of "pandotapoi" was "auxiliary" but they were seen mostly as militias or light local troops of limited fightning value.
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#2: Light model variant of a later libyan infantry, with a light thracian-style helmet and light leather armor. (if your configuration is slow !)
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#3: Third version with more detailed model and skins of the same. Chalcidian based helmet and light leather cuirass. Plain Thureos. Short secondary sword. They could be compared to local versions of the greek thureophoroi, but were generally lighter.
Libyan Militia:
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In fact, it was the cheapest unit recruitable, mostly peasants and poor citizens, armed with just a mass-product short spear, and protected by a small thureos, and for the luckiest of them, a leather cap. They were recruited in emeregency, throwed to the battle with a short training; They were given orders to keep the line, no more, no less, absorbing much of the enemy infantry impact. Their short spear were quite intimidating for closefight warriors, even for light infantry, although they could be easily routed by a resolute frontal charge or a flank attack. Their best use is for garrison and local guard, and local militia against riots and tribesmen raiders.
Early Punic Hoplites:
Early Liby-Punic Hoplites:
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The early liby-punic hoplites were not yet equipped by a chainmail, but the traditionnal old-style hoplite equipment, and the old phoenician helmet. These were greaves, bronze cuirass, large wood aspis, and a good kopis sword. This was an impressive campaign heavy infantry, which was modernised during the first and second punic wars.
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#2 (Second evolution), the one created after hte first punic war. In contact with chainmail-users celtic mercenaries, these hoplites replaced their previous armors, bronze cuirasses or linothorax, for this much modern one. They use a composite heavy helmet, between the light chalcidian and the thracian model.
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#3 : Second evolution (and third variant). High definition Skin variant of the latter.
Carthaginian Punic Hoplites:
Carthaginian Punic Phalanx:
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Third evolution of the punic heavy infantry, it was probably trained and equipped as macedonian pezhetairoi at the eve of the second punic war, as greek mercenaries trained Hannibal's troops, and Polybius described them having "long spears". It is still debatable, but as the hellenistic influence of greek preceptor to Hannibal was strong, himself was an admirer of Alexander the great, and such infantry was a logical step, nearly thousand years after the alexandrian conquest... They had a linothorax, light but protective against various projectiles, although not against the heavy roman pila, greaves, heavy thracian helmet, highly protective, wood or composite 60 cm wide aspis, and a xiphos or kopis as secondary weapon.
Liby-Punic Phalanx:
Thanit Sacred Band:
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(#1 low-res skin) : First appearance of the Elite sacred bataillon of Carthage. It was composed by aristocratic members of the carthaginian republic, some of them beeing sons of elder councillors (punic senators), even tophet, or wealthy families. Very-well trained, quite impressive, it was probably first known as an elite hoplite unit, fightning in the name of Thanit, the protective goddess of Carthage city. They were using the best equipments available, including bronze armors and shields, and depictions of them generally speaks about their wide white shield, and high plumed helmet. They are not supposed to break anyway.
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(#2 HD skin) : The famous elite sacred bataillon from Carthage was mentioned during Hamilcar and Hannibal's campaigns, in the greek tradition of sacred citizen elite phalanx, devouted to the goddess protective of Carthage, Thanit. Only the most renowned families of carthage, which could be given their best equipments, are honored to grant their sons to be part of it. In other terms, for some authors, it could be seen also as the senate of carthage elite guard, and normally a carthaginian local force, which was not supposed to serve in a campaign, but only for the defence of the city itself. It was a very impressive unit, which was quite impossible to break, and which was to be fought really until the last man... These were quite rare, beeing only raised amongst the richest families of Carthage itself, and take no part during the battle of Zama.
Carthaginian African Veteran:
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This third punic war unit was in fact known since the second punic war, a former Hamilcar veteran hoplites unit, composed by both carthaginian or liby-punic, which fought against the greeks and romans in sicily, and later during the iberian conquest. Some logically became officers, others, highly respected soldiers with an unrivalled war experience. These were the most thoughest, fearless, fiercest, and battl-hardened soldier Hannibal ever had since the beginning of his campaign from iberia to italy. As they were much more capable men than hoplites of phalangites, they were equipped as a heavy unit of thorakitai, much more agile than other heavy troops, and protecting the flanks phalanx just as the macedonian hypaspists did. They were a cutting-edge infantry, bearing a large, convex scutum similar to those of the romans, a high quality chainmail, a heavy falcata, xyston, even javelins. Highly ipressive and versatile, these could be compared to the late "thorakitai argyraspidai' or romanized infantry which fought against numidian's own imitation legionaries during the third punic war.
7. Preview: African Auxiliaries and Mercenaries
a. African AOR
Numidian Auxiliaries Archers:
Numidian Skirmishers:
Numidian Light Cavalry:
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They were not mounted skirmishers, but really gifted horsermen, capable of the greatest agility ever seen for an african cavalry. They were used heavily by Hannibal as his father, Hamilcar, in all their campaigns, giving excellent accounts of them, if not prowesses. In several battles, their action is often decisive. Thair main goal was not to destroy enemy cavalry, which was clearly superior, as their protection and equipment were poor, but to drive it away, with a hit-and-run tactic turned to and art. Their skills as horsemen were such (particularly for the romans whosed skills on horses were not quite impressive) that they were soon seen as "centaurus"...
Numidian Veteran Cavalry:
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When Hamilcar Barca died, his campaign in iberia was not over, but he fought continuously, expanding the carthaginian empire farther than never before, siezing large territories and forging military alliances. At this time, he has spent nearly ten years in spain, just as his numidian mercenaries. These battle-hardened veterans were still mounted skirmishers, but clearly far better equipped than thair youngest recruits, having, both by plundering, both by capturing and using enemy's equipments. Numidians were often decsribed using a bronze cuirass as protection, alsthough it was heavy, and the typical puni-iberic conic helmet. During Hannibal's campaign, these veterans played a crucial part while training the youngest recruits and giving an example of bravery and skills. As numidian cavalrymen, while beeing short of ammunition, were often seen engage close-combat or charging roman infantry in the back as in Cannae, these men probably take the biggest part, as they were well-equipped for such occurences. They were clearly, in Italy, one of the best cavalry ever seen.
Libyan Light Mercenaries:
Nubian Infantry:
Moorish Warriors:
b. Iberian AOR
Celtiberian Skirmishers:
Iberian Caetrati:
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The "caetrati" were in fact all light troops equipped with the famous caetra, a typical iberian roundshield, which was small but thick and heavy. It was intended for closefight protection, particularly against falcata blows, but were also useful against spear and heavy javelin blows. This was a quite small shield however, and caetrati were generally not well protected, having no armor, and a light helmet. Their main weapon was the falcata, but they usually throw a bunch of javelins before any contact. It was a very effective light infantry, quick enough to catch any king of javelineers and useful on rough terrains and in ambush. Iberian troops were highly mixed, and those young men were enrolled as well, searching for looting or for adventure.
Iberian Scutari:
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A quite common mercenary, this was a late iberian infantry with some elements borrowed to their celtiberian neighbours, as the thick and wide scuta, which was in fact, quite more effective in a picthed battle than a caetra, in order to keep their ranks under heavy enemy fire. These "Scutari" as they were called by the romans, could be either spearmen or attack infantry. These Iberians are typical Turdetanian warriors, completely dressed in white with purple fringes as described by Polybius, wearing a light leather and linen crested soft cap which was highly distinctive. As an attack infantry, having no armor, these men were equipped with two or three heavy javelins, wood versions of the deadly soliferum. Elite scutari wore probably scale armors and used this frightening and very effective weapon, which was an all-metal wielded heavy javelin, which can be thrown to a greater range, better accuracy, than ordinary javelins, and was capable of piercing every sort of protection, cuirass, shield, or even helmet. The Roman Pila was slightly improved along this design, with a bigger metal headgear.
Scutari Spearmen:
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Often older than common scutari, more disciplined, these troops were used as spearmen, fightning if need with their falcata at close-range. As the Celtiberians, they know how to form a "barbarian" form of phalanx, with the shieldwall tactic, an ancient cetic practice. This infantry was more suited for pitched battles, than ambushes and well-suited for flanking defence against cavalry, although their spear was more designed for infantry fightning. They use a wide scuta and generally were well-equipped, with leather or iron helmet, bronze breasplate over a thick leather jacket, very effective combination. Wealthier warriors were probably equipped with scale armors.
Celtiberian Scutari (Swordmens):
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They were renowned, and Hannibal relied heavily on these troops which proven fierce, fearless, courageous, tireless, disciplined, highly skilled, and trustfully loyal, a unusual fact amongst mercenaries. In fact, some of them were clearly "sacrified" against roman troops, in order to spare carthaginian troops. Most of them were recruited during Hannibal's Iberian campaign and just before sacking Saguntum. Most of them fought in gaul, in Italy, and eventually in Africa, at Zama, with incredible bravery. As described by Polybius, they were described as "invincible" to boost the ally's morale, and a small band of 2000 of them were landed in Africa and fought alone the overwhelmingly superior forces of Scipio, really to the last man.
Celtiberian Scutari (Spearmens):
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The Celtiberians were amongst the best mercenaries raised by the carthaginians. They were trustful, disciplined, sturdy, and well equipped. Using a large scutum, even bronze greaves borrowed to the iberians, a bronze or iron breasplate, a heavy celtic longsword, and a tall spear, with a very long spearhead, these celtiberians were also recoignisable to their La Tène typical conic helmets. Their short trousers were probably seen and adopted later by some legionaries during Scipio's iberian campaign and tactical reforms. These men were really effective against cavalry, as beeing well-suited for defending themselves against heavy infantry. They proved to be serious opponnents for the Romans.
Punic Caetrati Cavalry:
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AOR spain, punic appearance. The mounted caetrati were a common style of light cavalry in ancient iberia. A famous bronze sculpture depicts it, with the typical hemispheric, simple helmet (probably made in bronze) summoned by an impressive crest. A falcata, a bunch of javelins were their weapons, making them fast scouts and melee, raiding fighters, really acting as mounted caetrati. Their protection was generally made of a leather jacket, with a bronze disc above, their helmet, and their caetra, still thick enough to stop a falcata blow or heavy javelins (as the terrible soliferum). The Carthaginians relied heavily on these cavalrymen as screening force, much accostumed to make reinforcements and melee fightning than the swift numidians... The most famous of all were the Cantabrians, which left their name to their famous circle skimishing tactic.
c. West Mediterranean Mercenaries
Sardinian Archers:
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Although this unit could have been labelled "west mediterranean aor", for practical reasons, it was stepped as a specific unit from Sardinian capital. The Sardinians were an ancient indo-european people settled here since prehistorical age, with a strong local Nuragic culture and various influences from the etruscans, ligurians, iberians, and early "sea people" settlers as the eastern Shardana which left their name to the whole island during the bronze age, and a later strong mycenanean influence. Phoenicians settlements were founded since 1000 bc,In 509 bc, as these colonies has became prosperous and quite bigger, a clash occured with the nuragic kingdoms; Punic presence became a military occupation and after a century of guerilla campaign, the whole island became a punic territory. Sardinia was renowned for its guerrilla fighters and amongst them, the famous Nuragic Archers (or sardinian archers) decribed by Polybius and some authors as used by the carhaginians as mercenaries in the sicilian campaign and throughout the first punic war, and pehaps later during punic campaing in italy (second punic war). These archers were versatile and skilled infantrymen, good ambushers, highly accurate, well-protected with a chainmail-like protection and an liguro-etruscan old-style horned helmet. They were good swordsmen, fightning with a gladius on close contact, and were probably the best renowned mercenary archers in the part of the mediterranean, rivalling with the cretans.
Balearic Slingers:
Silician Tribesmen:
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Not well equipped, but with a real and profound knowledge of their own country, they mastered ambushes and guerrilla raids as no one in the while island. Ancient Sicilia was knowned for its ancient indo-europeans old inhabitants, which lived in small tribes and kingdoms which were in fact fortified towns on eagle-s nests, with the hilly countryside around. Sicilia, home of the Siculi, was not a tender place. Rocky hills, very hot in summer, with heavy rains in winter, formed a rude, bellicose people with warring clans. This division in fact was proficious for the greek settlers which becomes the mighty Syracusans, and later by the Carthaginians in the east. In fact, soon in the first punic war, the Carthaginians raised numerous local tribesmen for various tasks. Hamilcar used them wisely for tactical moves, ambushes and raids, as they were really skilled for this kind of warfare. They bear a few protection but a wicker shield, and having a light dagger and a spear as main weapon.
d. Iberian Mercenaries
CAETRATI:
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Light mercenaries equipped with the famous caetra. Swoft, young, agile, they are not a crack close-combat infantry due to their limited protection, but with the deadly falcata, they are just serious oppoents for every infantry. The iberians were masters in weaponry due to their long history of warfare, kingdom rivalries, celtiberian invasion and influence. The Falcata could have been a local copy of the greek kopis, brought by the first colonists of the eastern coast, or generated locally and seperately of the famous greek sabre. It is still one of the most beautiful and advanced sword of any time, because of its specific shape, and near-perfect mass distribution, strong iron, allowing it to deliver slashing swords as efficient than axes. This is why the caetra was so thick and hardly reinforced.
SCUTARI:
CELTIBERIAN SCUTAR:
CELTIBERIAN SPEARMEN:
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Highly reliable and disciplined, they were capable of holding the line quite well against all cavalry attacks, thanks to their very long spears, with an impressive 60 cm long iron spearhead... When closer to the infantry, their long and high quality celtic sword was deadly around. As they were conceived more as a reserve or defense heavy infantry, emphasis was given to the protection, with a proven combination of the iberian leather jacket and wide bronze pectoral. These were often carefully scuplted, showing a wolf or lynx head, or the classic mditerranean gorgon-head like here. Their broad leather and bronze plated belt was another protection, giving them a better overall protection than the roman lorica hamata.
IBERIAN CAVALRY:
e. Gallic AOR
GABALLAROAS:
BOII CINGETOS:
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These transalpine Celts invade the former rich and fertile etruscan lands, and are fierce and proud warriors. Not well equipped (no chainmail nor helmet), they are however picked-up, young but proven and trustful men, having no fear of the romans, as their ancestors sacked Rome a century before. They are typical of the warriors class, equipped with a large thureos, a bunch of javelins and a longsword. This last isn't of high standards, and is used, as described polybius for telamon, for a single heavy slashing blow in the first charge. This kind of sword could be damaged after several blows like this, but not as early as it was caricaturized...
GAELAICHE:
BATAROAS:
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It was probably the main gallic infantry, a proven unit, highly skilled for close-combat and always opening any engagement while launching their light gaesos, then began a prolongated closefight with their shortsword. This last weapon was more common in western and southen tribes than in the north, and more for young warriors as it was cheaper than the long celt classic sword. As this kind of weapon was more easy to use at close-range, and lighter, it was not intended for crushing slashing blows, but rather for prolongated duels. These warriors were wealthy enough, in time, to afford a simple coolus helmet, the well-known "reverse jockey cap" of the celtic halstatt culture, more comon in the north, but that was quicly spread thoughout the gauls as it was easy to produce in mass; The Roman late republican helmet was modelled after this one.
CINGETOS:
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These veteran warriors, were the best renowned ot the warrior-class as non-noble infantry. They were battle-hardened, using the classic heavy gallic chainmail armor, the long gaesos (spear), an excellent quality longsword, and various helmets, lavishly decorated, although less than those of chieftains and nobles. The plumed montefortino was quite common. These warriors were too heavy for efficient skrmishing and were usually keeped in reserve, to add their resolute force after the first charge, if it was not sufficient to break the enemy's lines. They were usually fighnting with their spear overhand, a quite common feature amongst the southern gauls, transalpine gauls and boians, helveti warriors, which were in contact since a century with the greek-warfare practiced by the massilians and the etruscans. These elite warriors were not a cheap recruitment, but proven far superior to any other gallic mercenary.
LIGURIAN SPEARMEN:
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The Ligurians were an ancient people of obscure origin, one of the very first of indo-European roots (like etruscans, ancient italics and iberians) who settled in a large aera which encompass the whole transalpine italy (stretching from southern gaul to the veneti peoples). It was a "barbarious" people of several tribes, some of these like the Taurisci probably settled in central italy as far to the north before beeing expelled by the celts. Laterly, the Gauls and Boii assimilated them, and this became the Celto-Ligurian culture. Ligurian spearmen were common warriors equipped with a spear and several javelins. They were dressed with tunics, have a cloak, using old italic pot-helmets, anf fight with a spear and several javelins, as a large thureos. They are mentioned by several authors as hannibal's common mercenaries and fought well during the whole italic campaign.
TAURISCI AXEMEN:
GOLBERI CUROAS:
f. Italic AOR
OSCAN SPEARMEN:
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The Oscan were not a single people but a whole civization, one of the very first in the southern-central peninsula. In fact the famous Samnites were just a part of it, although enemies, at the point that they urged Rome to the rescue. After Samnite defeat at the end of the second punic war, the rich Campania, centered around Capua, falled under Roman control. But southern Oscans in campania were still parrtly autonomous, in the magna grecian sphere of influence. They fought with Pyrrhos, beeing under roman control once more, but when Hannibal crushed the last armies sent to him at Cannae, some southern Oscans defect the romans and joined his army. The old Oscan infantry was like the 400-500 bc romans and latins were. They still used ancient helmets as this impressive "hat-like" Kugel and Negau-family helmet which was the most common in the peninsula for poor soldiers. It was easy to produce, but heavy and impressive, and need a leather strap to be fixed. The concave scutum, made of wood and leather was also common and easier to produce than the aspis. These spearmen are disciplined, agile, using a short sword in close-battle.
SAMNITE INFANTRY:
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They were during three wars, the most implacable enemies of Rome, after the Etruscan has fallen. They were ipetuous and warlike tribes seen as "barbarians", living in the appenine mountains. During a century they lived surrounded by peaceful oscan farmers, part-time raiding and pillaging villages around. Some Samnite pastoral tribes, probably more peaceful, eventually manage to deal with loca Oscan tribes and settled in the plains. A century passed, as the mountaineers Samnites rose again and launched devastating raids throughout Campania, even threatening Capua itself. The Senate of Rome was called to the rescue. After two wars and the most humiliating defeat the romans has ever known (the caudine pass), they stood once more for an ultimate fight, coalizing the gauls, the etruscans, the umbrians, to rally them. The final victory of Rome ended not only the samnite threat, but then all threats from the central peninsula itself. The roman hegemony was limited, in the north by the warlike gauls, and in the south by Magna Grecia, not to mention Syracuse. When Hannibal crushed the Romans at Cannae, he raised a new hope amongst numerous samnites tribes, amongst them some managed to rally the carthaginians. The samnite were impressive soldiers. Proud of their ancestry and the famous "linteati" and their terrific pact of death, with the reputation of born-warriors (the samnites were also an early nickname for all the most famous gladiators, before becoming an arena wargear). Agile, using light equipments as javelins, short spears ans swords, light asymetrical shields, they inspired some major changes in the early camilian roman army itself. Mobility and flexibility were directly taken form them, as the classic old hoplite phalanx system was unappropriate in the appenine mountains. As they were, hannibal could have been counting on this agility to make fast tactical moves on the most rugged terrains.
ITALIC SKIRMISHER:
CAMPANIAN HOPLITE:
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Throughout Magna Grecia, the greek cities which fought alongside Pyrhhos against roman hegemony loose everything in 280 bc. Although most of them retained their independence, the roman presence was still tolerated, not warmly. When hannibal gave the feel that once more, the roman can be defeated, most of these cities choosed to stay in a careful standby. Taras (Tarentum), amongst other Apulian cities, was not pleased by the construction by the romans of the via appia, that relied Rome directly to Brundisium, isolating the old and proud city-state from the local maritime seatrade. But while not taking openly arms against Rome, they don't dissuade any of their citizens to rally Hannibal's legendary army as mercenaries. Most of them took service during the failed attemps to lift the siege of local major cities.. They were typical hoplites, using the classical apulo-chalcidian feathered or crested helmet, greaves, breastplate, doru, xiphos, and the classic wood large aspis. They were more mobile than classic hoplites however, beeing used as a flanking heavy infantry rather than a central phalanx unit.
TARAS HOPLITAI:
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#1 : Ancient possible appearance of these hoplites from tarentum, recruitables by the syracusans, epirots, or even the Carthaginians locally in 300 bc. Bronze cuirass, large aspis, doru, and corinthian helmet.
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#2: Clearly the best hoplites raised by Hannibal's forces, they were recruited in Taras (Tarentum), when falled after a successful siege in 212 bc, thanks to the local democratic faction and his carefully built coup. He gained control to the whole city except the citadel, still in roman's hands until 209 bc, when the city felt once more to the other side by treachery. During this time, Hannibal managed to raise local citizens as mercenaries, and although they did not take part to some major battles, they were impressive warriors, well trained and disciplined, proud of their spartan ancestry, with the last equipments, including linothorax, modernized chalcidian helmet, reinforced aspis, ans xiphos sword. Naturally gifted to take place in the central heavy phalanx core of hannibal's army they could give good accounts of them.
g. Itali-Greek Mercenaries
APULII EXTRAORDINARI:
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This well-known generic infantry was recruited by the roman consul amongst the best troop that their ally must supply and directly placed under their own command. They usually serve as as a heavy scouting force, preceding from far the roman legion. Disciplined, highly skilled, endurant, giving the best equipment available, they usually fight with a sword, but giving one or two additionnal spears for launching betwen any engagement. After Hannibal managed to crush the biggest roman army ever raised at Cannae, he began to raise local heavy troops to fill his depleted ranks. At this time, some of his best foot troops were former "extraordinarii" in roman service, which joined him to serve as mercenaries, mostly from apulia and calabria. A bronze cuirass, bronze large aspis, bronze attic helmet, greaves, and a high quality kopis sabre were their current dotation. They were agile enough to serve as second wave scouts (behind the numidian cavalrymen) but also as a fast flanking force, and naturally gifted assault troops in the numerous sieges that occured between 214 and 209...
GREEK PELTAST:
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(early version - low res skin) : A quite common infantry, the peltasts were nearly a synonim for "mercenary". The reason dates back to the wars of peloponnesus when the two leaders, Saprta and Athens, raised numerous mercenaries (but particularly Athens) amongst local troops. For Athens, the thracian peltasts served as a model for further evolution of local troops, equipped with the large thureos instead of the light crescent "peltè". Later these greek mercenary peltast were equipped with an affordable equipment. They wore a tunic, to be more agile, protected by a chalcidian or thracian helmet, greaves, and a thureos which became more heavy in time, entirely built in wood and covered by leather, reinforced by a central boss and spine. In 300 bc, a new derivation of the classic peltast became more popular, the thureophoroi. Some heavy peltasts were giving a quilted jacket, or even a light linothorax, giving them a true medium infantry range and style. In 214 bc, these mercenaries were more common as the linothorax was ancient and now built in mass at affordable costs.
MERCENARY HOPLITES:
MERCENARY PHALANX:
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Driven from nearby Epirus, as from the greek leagues, these phalangites mercenaries were used since the first sicilian war by the father of Hannibal, Hamilcar, which recruited a famous mercenary captain, probably introducing the sarissa phalanx into the punic tactic, athough this was probably Hannibal which generalized it in full-scale. Since Alexander the greatn, the macedonian phalanx was a model of unbeattable war machine. It was widely spread throughout the east, but greeks retained their old hoplite-phalanx system, at least to 220-210 bc, when most major greek leagues adopted this kind of infantry, not only the Aetolians, Epirot, Pergamians, Achaians, but also the Spartans, the most conservative of all. These phalanxes were equipped less heavily than battline diadochi pezhetairoi, using various second-hand equipments, but still 60 cm wood light shields, linothorax or bronze cuirasses, and various helmets of the chalcidian design.