MEDOPERSIAN ROSTER
(Atropatene, Media, Persia, Parthava, Aria, Dranghiane, Sagartia)
The former satrapies of the Achaemenid Empire, under the Seleucids retained partially their traditional armies.
Some of them, even, succeded to obtain a status of partial indipendence or even total, like Atropatene.
The use of local soldiers was quite common among the Seleucids, and if some of them were organized in macedonian-like fashion, like the "Phalangitai Pantodapoi" at Raphia, other mantained their traditional equipment.
Cissians, Cadusians, Carmanians, Persians and Medians were some of the various Iranic people among the Seleucid army, and if some specific ethnic units are precisely described (like Persian archers and slingers, or Elamite horse-archers) for the others, when not quoted as pantodapoi phalangites, we must assume that they retained their old equipment.
ARMY LIST
Pantodapoi Akontistai
Pantodapoi Epibatoi
Sphendonetai Persikoi
Toxotai Persikoi
Pantodapoi Phalangitai
Medopersikoi Takabara Stratiotai
Medopersikoi Sparabara Stratiotai
Medopersikoi Hippakontistai
Dahae Levies
Dahae Hippotoxotai
Arya Hillmen
Hippotoxotai Elymaioi
Median Asabara
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Pantodapoi Akontistai
Pantodapoi Epibatoi
Sphendonetai Persikoi
Toxotai Persikoi
Pantodapoi Phalangitai
Medopersikoi Takabara Stratiotai
"Takabara" meant, in Persian, alternatively "Small Shield Berares" or "Cap wearer" (cfr. http://www.romanarmytalk.com/25-alli....html?start=15).
However, it appeared to identify a distinct kind of Persian warrior, something like and heavy peltast use do line fighting more than skirmish.
Medopersikoi Sparabara Stratiotai
"Sparabara" meant "Shield-bearer", or more precisely, "Wicker-Shield Bearer", and is probably referred to persian line fighters with spear and huge shield. As for Takabara, these warriors were the bulk of the Achaemenid infantry, and virtualy their equipment was still in use by the Medo-Persian levies under the Seleucids.
Arya Hillmen
These mountain-dwelling indoeuropean peoples, divided in many tribes, are the original inhabitants of the area of modern Afghanistan.
The Dahae were a Schytian people from were the Parthians came.
They are attested as part of the Seleucid native troops by Appian, and were recruited on the northern borders of the eastern satrapies like Parthava.
Dahae Levies
Dahae Hippotoxotai
Medopersikoi Hippakontistai
Hippotoxotai Elymaioi
Elamites were the inhabitants of the Eastern shores of the Persian Gulf.
They were famed as horse archers, and cited among the various horse archers in the Seleucid army during the war against the Romans (Appian, History of Rome, the Syrian Wars, 32)
Median Asabara
The Medians were famed as horsemen, and actually an increasing part of elite seleucid riders were recruited among Median noble citizens.
Post-Achaemenid Rosters
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