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Thread: [IN PROGRESS] Cyrene Expanded

  1. #41

    Default Re: [IN PROGRESS] Cyrene Expanded

    Quote Originally Posted by cino View Post
    you're up to take an history degree here
    I admit that I got heavily invested in this topic

    I'm currently collating all the data that I've gathered and will soon present my first outline of a Cyrenean army roster along with the all research that supports it.

    After that I plan to revise the temple building chain. That should conclude the pre-production phase of the submod, which means I can start slowly implementing all the ideas presented in this topic.
    ---------------------------------------

    One of the more interesting things I've found out during my research, which does tell us a lot about the importance of Cyrene, are the Edicts of Asoka (Emperor of the Mauryan Empire during his reign from 269 BCE to 232 BCE).

    Rock Edict n. 13

    King Priyadarsi considers moral conquest [that is, conquest by Dharma, Dharma-vijaya] the most important conquest. He has achieved this moral conquest repeatedly both here and among the peoples living beyond the borders of his kingdom, even as far away as six hundred yojanas [about three tousand miles], where the Yona [Greek] king Antiyoka rules, and even beyond Antiyoka in the realms of four kings named Turamaya, Antikini, Maka and Alikasudara, and to the south among the Cholas and Pandyas [in the southern Indian peninsula] as far as Ceylon.

    (The five kings referred to have been identified as follows: Antiyoka = Antiochos II Theos of Syria (261-246 BC); Turamaya = Ptolemy II Philadelphos of Egypt (285-247 BC); Antikini = Antigonos Gonatas of Macedonia (278-239 BC); Maka = Magas of Cyrene (300-258 BC) and Alikasudara = Alexander of Epirus (272?-258 BC). The passage is of extreme importance not only dating the events of Asoka's reign but also for judging the extent of communication in his times. It indicates, moreover, the date 258 BC as the latest date at which all five could be referred to simulataneously and therefore fixes the approximate date of the edict.)

    Asoka's conversion to Buddhism, or at least his increase in zeal as a lay disciple, coincided approximately with the events of the Kalinga war. His mission became study of Dharma, action according to Dharma, and inculcation of Dharma. Since Dharma is a fundamental concept in Buddhism, this concern for Dharma has been interpreted - in the spirit of the legends, which contain no account of the Kalinga war and its effect but do set forth the efforts of Asoka to spread Buddhism and the missions of his Mahendra and his grandson Sumana to Ceylon - as missionary zeal for Buddhism.

    Source: The Edicts of Asoka (Edited & Translated by N.A. Nikam and Richard McKeon)


    Asoka's inscriptions mostly contain explanations of dhamma (the content and nature of dhamma will be explained further on), the king's efforts to propagate it, and his own assesment of his success of doing so.

    The king establishes his control over the four quarters through righteousness, not through violence or force. Rival kings do not resist, and happily accept his sovereignty, which in any case is not about territorial conquest but about spreading dhamma. (...) Dhamma-vijaya is decribed as the best kind of conquest, and the king claims to have it achieved it over Yavanas, Kambojas, Nabhakas, Nabhkapantis, Bhojas, Pitinikas, Andhras, Pulindas, Cholas and Pandyans. Outside the subcontinent, he claims to have attained dhamma-vijaya in the dominions of Antiochus II, Ptolemy II Philadelphus of Egypt, Magas of Cyrene (in north Africa), Antigonus Gonatas of Macedonia and Alexander of Epirus or Corinth.


    Source: A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century (Upinder Singh)

    -------------------------------
    So what does it mean exactly for the submod? I think it confirms that Magas of Cyrene was considered an important king, important enough to send missionaries to directly, and a peer to Antiochus II, Ptolemy II, Antigonus Gonatas and Alexander of Epirus. With Magas' name known even in the Mauryan Empire, it lends credence to the idea that Cyrene was a kingdom of some influence in the region.
    Last edited by Magas of Cyrene; January 29, 2017 at 01:24 PM.

  2. #42
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    Default Re: [IN PROGRESS] Cyrene Expanded

    It is interesting to read these historical infos, really.
    Think that DeI team did a good job inserting those "year in history" pop ups.
    Good work.

  3. #43
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    Default Re: [IN PROGRESS] Cyrene Expanded

    It has the added bonus of making Kleruchs a true elite. It has a nice side effect of making the pikemen and other Macedonians very rare, as it should be. The Politai would be then Greeks (who could be recruited as hoplites, peltasts etc.), Jews and Libyans of higher social standing ("That such marriages were common is proved by the constitutional regulations imposed on Cyreneby Ptolemy after 322 BC, which are preserved in an inscription, and which include the provision that the children of Cyrenaean men by Libyan wives should have citizen status" - Cambridge History of Africa) serving as the better equipped and trained soldiers.

    Third class would be Laoi, which was a word used to usually denote native population (in this case - Libyans, but it could also mean Jews and other free non-Greeks).
    IŽd say the Laoi would need to be included into the xenoi class, since xenoi simply meant foreigner.
    In this system thereŽd be the same problem as we now have with Carthage with the Lybians and the Ptolemies with the Machimoi.

    These were a settled people the greeks exploited, as much influence as they had on the greeks.
    This would also constitute aproblem with expansion, since the laoi were simply the native population, free as such, but without the privileges of the greeks.
    If one were to conquer a region, any greeks would be absorbed, but the natives would be treated the same as any other natives under their control, and not be counted as something completely different.
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  4. #44

    Default Re: [IN PROGRESS] Cyrene Expanded

    Quote Originally Posted by Maetharin View Post
    IŽd say the Laoi would need to be included into the xenoi class, since xenoi simply meant foreigner.
    In this system thereŽd be the same problem as we now have with Carthage with the Lybians and the Ptolemies with the Machimoi.

    These were a settled people the greeks exploited, as much influence as they had on the greeks.
    This would also constitute aproblem with expansion, since the laoi were simply the native population, free as such, but without the privileges of the greeks.
    If one were to conquer a region, any greeks would be absorbed, but the natives would be treated the same as any other natives under their control, and not be counted as something completely different.
    Yes, Xenoi is a broader term, encompassing both the free and enslaved foreigners. However, I think that the free native population as well as the Greek Freedmen (the lower class) should be represented somehow. One other problem is that if we use the current population classes (Eugeneis, Kleruchoi, Politai and Xenoi), we end up with the Politai becoming the most numerous, which obviously wouldn't work. One other consideration is that keeping the Kleruchoi as the "elite" and least populous class brings an interesting gameplay consideration to the Cyrene (as well as making it more historically accurate).

    One other solution is the following:

    Kleruchoi
    Politai
    Xenoi
    Douloi

    It isn't without its own problems, however. First of all, after you conquer a region, all of its inhabitants would become slaves (could make sense in some cases, but mostly wouldn't really fit). Second problem is that the game uses its own system for the slave population.

    Oh and I hope to finish the first take on the Cyrene's roster, complete with historical background, this weekend
    Last edited by Magas of Cyrene; February 03, 2017 at 02:30 PM.

  5. #45
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    Default Re: [IN PROGRESS] Cyrene Expanded

    Yes, Xenoi is a broader term, encompassing both the free and enslaved foreigners. However, I think that the free native population as well as the Greek Freedmen (the lower class) should be represented somehow. One other problem is that if we use the current population classes (Eugeneis, Kleruchoi, Politai and Xenoi), we end up with the Politai becoming the most numerous, which obviously wouldn't work.
    If itŽs possible to introduce faction specific population growth factors, we could easily circumvent a too big politai population.
    WeŽd just need to change the corresponding starting population to a sensible level.

    One other consideration is that keeping the Kleruchoi as the "elite" and least populous class brings an interesting gameplay consideration to the Cyrene (as well as making it more historically accurate).
    IMO the numbers of the second population class would fit pretty nicely already.
    Again, IŽd argue for the popualtion classes to be seen as less of a heritage, but rather as legal definition.
    In case of Cyrene, Kleruchoi neednŽt just be the ex-Ptolemaic Phalangite Kleruchs, but could also mean all military personel.

    As soon as they start overhauling the Hellenic factions, IŽll try to argue a bit with the devs about the points weŽve discussed,
    maybe theyŽll consider changing the population classes to this model IŽve proposed.
    IMO it just makes a lot more sense both historically and logically.

    If not, IŽll do an overhaul submod for PoR, IŽd just need some reasonable numbers to work with.
    Would you be willing to discuss it with me then?
    "Ceterum censeo Carthaginem delendam esse!"

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    "I concur!"

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  6. #46

    Default Re: [IN PROGRESS] Cyrene Expanded

    Quote Originally Posted by Maetharin View Post
    If itŽs possible to introduce faction specific population growth factors, we could easily circumvent a too big politai population.
    WeŽd just need to change the corresponding starting population to a sensible level.

    IMO the numbers of the second population class would fit pretty nicely already.
    If we could change the starting population as well as the growth modifiers on a per-faction basis, that'd be perfect. I'd love to see that - as it would allow for some pretty interesting gameplay.

    Quote Originally Posted by Maetharin View Post
    Again, IŽd argue for the popualtion classes to be seen as less of a heritage, but rather as legal definition.
    In case of Cyrene, Kleruchoi neednŽt just be the ex-Ptolemaic Phalangite Kleruchs, but could also mean all military personel.
    I'd say it was a bit of both. I've quoted Bagnall on this previously:

    "But fundamentally, the cleruchs seem to have been almost a closed class, the founding fathers of the Ptolemaic state, after a fashion, and their descendants. These military settlers were a distinctly privileged class, holders of much fine farmland in the richest agricultural state of Mediterranean antiquity; they appear thus to be also a rather fixed class, remaining fairly stable from generation to generation. If this is so, it is evident that becoming a military settler was not a very realistic expectation for a third- or second-century." (The Origins of Ptolemaic Cleruchs - Roger S. Bagnall)

    But I definitely agree that the Cyrene's Kleruchoi don't necessarily have to be of ex-Ptolemaic (i.e. Greek/Macedonian) origin:



    The Kleruchoi were a very stratified class however:

    The second strategy was to grant to soldiers plots of land called klêroi, whose size varied according to the military rank and unit, as well as stathmoi, or residences, often within the home of local inhabitants. The most common size of klêroi for cavalrymen was 100, 80, and 70 arouras and for infantrymen 30 or 25 arouras. Grants of klêroi were not limited to soldiers from outside Egypt but at least from around 230 BC extended to machimoi, usually but not exclusively of Egyptian origin, who received smaller lots similar in size to traditional land allotments in Egypt (five arouras and later seven, ten, or twenty)—five arouras being what a family needed to live on. (Source: The Ptolemaic Army - Christelle Fischer-Bovet)

    In the second and first centuries, the Ptolemies often stationed mercenaries from Judea and Idumaea in their Egyptian garrisons. Soldiers from Judea, known as Ioudaioi in official documents and already settled as cleruchs under Ptolemy I, sometimes within the same village such as Trikomia in the Fayyum, were still cleruchs with the ethnic Ioudaioi in the second century
    .
    ------------------------------

    So I would agree that the Kleruchoi simply meant all military personnel, with the important distinction that they were a more privileged class, even though very varied. Some Kleruchoi really were members of a small elite, others were simply professional soldiery granted a small land grant, that would allow them to live off it, but not much else.

    I'd ideally like to represent this somehow, which brings us back to the Eugeneis class, but I haven't found any sources which would support such distinction. Christelle Fischer-Bovet does suggest that the Katoikoi Hippeis were a separate class, with a klêroi as large as 100 or 80 arouras. Which would definitely make them people of high social standing and importance. Particularly because the cavalry was of high value in the Succesor's armies and highly sought out:

    As much as the kataphraktos might symbolize the diminished role of Macedonian heavy cavalry, nothing speaks more about the decline of quality of this force than the respective introduction and reintroduction of the elephant and chariot into Hellenistic warfare. In these two weapons we see a desperate bid by Hellenistic monarchs to fill the void of decisive battlefield action played by the like of Alexander's Companions.

    Another attempt to offset the decline in cavalry and find new way of breaking open the phalanx was the war chariot, often with scythed wheels, which reappeared on Greek battlefields in the late fourth century. After Alexander they were mostly found in the Seleucid army. Like elephants, they carried a driver and a missile trooper and were employed in order to smash into the enemy line, creating gaps in formation and causing causalities with the scythes. And like elephants they were similarly unsuccessful at these tasks, and suffered from many of the same deficiencies, being large, unwieldy and exposed. As a result, each could fall victim to to missile fire and chariots in particular were no match for Tarentine cavalry or horse archers.

    (Source: The Oxford Handbook of Warfare in the Classical World - Brian Campbell, Lawrence A. Tritle)

    Cavalry, once the decisive offensive element of Hellenistic monarchs, became more difficult to recruit because their aristocratic horsemen required larger estates. In 3rd century BC, as political conditions became more settled and local populations became loyal to their monarchs, it became more difficult to for these kings to seize vast tracts of enemy territory in lightning cavalry raids and distribute them to nobles. Consequently, cavalry declined both in numbers and importance.

    (Source: Warfare in the Ancient World - Brian Todd Carey, Joshua Allfree, John Cairns)

    That does make the case for making the Katoikoi Hippeis a separate, elite class within the military settler population. And thus I propose the following:

    Katoikoi Hippeis
    Kleruchoi
    Politai
    Xenoi



    Quote Originally Posted by Maetharin View Post
    As soon as they start overhauling the Hellenic factions, IŽll try to argue a bit with the devs about the points weŽve discussed,
    maybe theyŽll consider changing the population classes to this model IŽve proposed.
    IMO it just makes a lot more sense both historically and logically. If not, IŽll do an overhaul submod for PoR, IŽd just need some reasonable numbers to work with.
    Would you be willing to discuss it with me then?
    Sure, I'd love to help. For now I'll put the Cyrene's population classes overhaul on hold. I'm also awaiting the results of DeI's team Hellenic overhaul, as it will surely influence Cyrene's roster.
    Last edited by Magas of Cyrene; February 04, 2017 at 07:57 AM.

  7. #47
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    Default Re: [IN PROGRESS] Cyrene Expanded

    The actual names of the classes arenŽt really important to me, rather a generic hellenic class layout and what the classes represent respectively.
    Since IŽm not really well-read about Cyrene I have no idea what to call their upper classes, I just assumed

    That does make the case for making the Katoikoi Hippeis a separate, elite class within the military settler population.
    I agree, but IŽm not too sure about simply applying Ptolemaic or Seleucid nomenclature to Cyrene.
    I have to re-read Christelle Fischer-Bovet, but I highly doubt either Cyrene or the Ptolemies used the word Katoikoi, IIRC thatŽs an exclusive Seleucid term.

    Regardless, IŽd say for the Seleucids/Ptolemies the Katoikoi/Kleruchoi Hippeis fits.
    Since the faction Cyrene represents more of a Greek league and, if I inferred correctly, there is no name for this class, IŽd simply go with the corresponding Greek nomenclature.
    What did the Achaeans and Aitolians call their cavalry? IIRC Aitolians actually were some of the best Greek cavalry of the time.

    Anyway thx for this, I always enjoy historical discussion
    Last edited by Maetharin; February 04, 2017 at 11:25 AM.
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    Default Re: [IN PROGRESS] Cyrene Expanded

    sorry double post
    "Ceterum censeo Carthaginem delendam esse!"

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  9. #49

    Default Re: [IN PROGRESS] Cyrene Expanded

    Quote Originally Posted by Maetharin View Post
    The actual names of the classes arenŽt really important to me, rather a generic hellenic class layout and what the classes represent respectively.
    Since IŽm not really well-read about Cyrene I have no idea what to call their upper classes, I just assumed


    I agree, but IŽm not too sure about simply applying Ptolemaic or Seleucid nomenclature to Cyrene.
    I have to re-read Christelle Fischer-Bovet, but I highly doubt either Cyrene or the Ptolemies used the word Katoikoi, IIRC thatŽs an exclusive Seleucid term.

    Regardless, IŽd say for the Seleucids/Ptolemies the Katoikoi/Kleruchoi Hippeis fits.
    Since the faction Cyrene represents more of a Greek league and, if I inferred correctly, there is no name for this class, IŽd simply go with the corresponding Greek nomenclature.
    What did the Achaeans and Aitolians call their cavalry? IIRC Aitolians actually were some of the best Greek cavalry of the time.

    Anyway thx for this, I always enjoy historical discussion
    Apparently the Katoikoi Hippeis were referenced in the papyrological evidence:

    A papyrus recently published by Duttenhöfer, P.Lips. II 124 (137BC or later), 28contains a complicated text concerning the taxes paid by cavalry men holding cleruchic land, more commonly called katoikoi hippeis. In column III of the text, we learn that the dioiketes of Egypt, Dioskourides, established a fixed amount that all thekatoikoi hippeis, except those of the Thebaid, would have to pay each year, i.e. 234,777 artabas.

    Professional soldiers (called misthophoroi or Akôritai and misthophoroi hippeis), mostly Greco-Egyptians or Egyptian, served there in a regiment (hêgemonia), reinforced by cleruchs and katoikoi hippeis, who settled nearby in the village of Cleopatra.

    You can find more about it here:

    http://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/...199935390-e-75

    And here:

    https://www.princeton.edu/~pswpc/pdf...vet/100701.pdf

    Considering then, that Magas was a stepson of Ptolemy I and the close ties to the Ptolemaic Kingdom, I'd argue that Cyrene would most likely use similar terms.
    Thanks for taking part in this discussion, can't wait to see your thoughts about the first sketch of the Cyrene's roster

    As for the Aetolian cavalry - there's a mention of them fighting in thr battle of Raphia under the Ptolemaic command.

    From Polybius:

    "Scopas a prominent man among the tribe, sent by King Ptolemy from Alexandria with agreat quantity of gold, had transported to Egypt six thousand infantry and five hundred cavalry whom he had hired; nor would he have left a single fighting-man of the Aetolians, if Damocritus, now warning them of the present war, now of the future depopulatio nof the state, had not by his reproofs kept at home apart of the younger men, though it is uncertain whether his action was due to concern for the state or adesire to thwart Scopas, who had not been generous with gifts to him.”

  10. #50

    Default Re: [IN PROGRESS] Cyrene Expanded

    CYRENEAN ROSTER - PART I
    Jewish Military Settlers



    According to Flavius Josephus, hellenized Jews settled in Cyrene during the reign of Ptolemy Soter (305 – 283/2 BC). He mentions that they were sent to man the fortresses in the region, no doubt to reinforce Ptolemaic hold over the territory. Shimon Applebaum in Jews and Greeks in Ancient Cyrene mentions that there is a possibility of a cleruchic settlement of Jews in Cyrene ("Accordingly it is possible that Josephus himself, at least, believed that the Jews of Cyrene had been sent from Egypt as an organized body of settlers"). Applebaum compares it to the settlement of Jews in Asia during Antiochus' III rule ("The King directs his deputy to settle immigrants in garrisons [or fortresses] and at the most vital points, the orders being explicit to allot them plots of land and plantations")
    .

    I've found a lot of evidence supporting the idea of Jewish military settlers in Cyrene, which I will cite at the end of this post. Cyrene was one of the biggest destinations for Jewish settlers; they were mostly employed as garrison troops and/or Kleruchoi. It's frequently mentioned they were hellenised quickly, hence the proposed equipment of mostly Greek origin. Slings also seemed liked a natural choice. All in all, I feel that there's a strong historical basis for the inclusion of Jewish soldiers into the Cyrenean roster.

    Information in brackets denotes from which population class the recruits will be drawn. The current population classes are as follows:

    Katoikoi Hippeis
    Kleruchoi
    Politai
    Xenoi


    SPEAR INFANTRY

    Jewish Thureos Spearmen

    Iudaioi Thureophoroi
    [Kleruchoi]
    Thureos Reform required

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Lightly armoured, flexible and loyal infantry. Armed with javelins, a spear and a thureos shield.

    ---

    MISSILE INFANTRY


    Jewish Spearmen

    Iudaioi Taxeis
    [Xenoi]


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Jewish military settlers were often employed in a role of garrison troops. These hellenised, unarmoured soldiers armed with a spear, a bronze pelte shield and a handful of javelins are a useful skirmishing force that can be relied upon in almost any circumstance.


    Jewish Slingers

    Iudaioi Sphendonetai
    [Xenoi]

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    A sling is an important weapon in the Jewish culture - championed most famously by their king - David, who used to great effect against Goliath.

    Source:


    The Cambridge History of Africa - Volume 2 from c. 500 BC to AD 1050 (J. D. Fage and Roland Oliver)

    Besides Greeks and Macedonians, foreigners of many other nationalities came to Egypt under the Ptolemies – Thracians and Illyrians from the Balkans, Cilicians and Carians from Asia Minor, and above all, perhaps, Jews. Such foreigners were often recruited, alongside the Greeks and Macedonians, into the Ptolemaic army. They often were, or became through residence in Egypt, Greek-speaking and culturally 'hellenized', but in at least some instances they formed their own national politeumata separate from those of the Greeks.


    Jews in the Mediterranean Diaspora: From Alexander to Trajan 323 BCE - 117 CE (John M. G. Barclay)

    In our present state of knowledge there are only four other (than Egypt – Commodore) locations in the Mediterranean Diaspora where we may offer a moderately full account of Jewish life: Cyrenaica, Syria, the province of Asia and the city of Rome.


    The migration of Jews to Cyrenaica appears to have come about in consequence of their sizable presence in Egypt. Since Cyrenaica was ruled by the Ptolemaic dynasty until 96 BC, it is reasonable to assume, as Strabo suggests, that Jewish settlement in the towns of Pentapolis took place from (or at least through) Egypt (apud Josephus, Ant 14.118). Whether this took place with the active encouragement of Ptolemy I (323-282 BC), as Josephus claims (C.Ap 2.44, is uncertain, given Josephus' general tendency to claim royal support for the Jews from earliest possible date. But since we know that the Jews were employed in the Ptolemaic army and at various levels of administration in Egypt, it is not unreasonable to suggest that their presence in Cyrenaica was of similar value to the dynasty.


    Judaism and Hellenism: Studies in their Encounter in Palestine during the Early Hellenistic Period (Martin Hengel)

    Later, Josephus and some inscriptions speak of Jewish garrisons Egypt, Libya and Cyrenaica; the latter in particular had to be secured by non-Greek mercenaries: it was a border region inhabited by a Greek population who were passionately concerned for freedom.In Teucheira[one of the cities of Pentapolis – Commodore] we find a Jewish burial ground from the early period of the empire, very probably going back to a Ptolemaic military colony; the same may be true of the great community in Berenice [another Pentapolis city – Commodore], to which countless inscriptions bear witness.

    The Jewish Diaspora also began to expand further, partly through Jewish mercenaries and emigrants and partly through slaves; it not only grew stronger in Egypt and Cyrenaica, but also took root in Greece and Asia Minor. The long period of peace in the third century BC furthered favorable economic development, which probably reached its climax under Ptolemy II Philadelphos (285-282 to 246).

    Probably there had been a Jewish border garrison here at the extreme south-western corner of Cyrenaica since early Ptolemaic times.

    The Jewish units of troops and their generals acquired great political significance particularly in the second century, after the foundation of the temple of Leontopolis by Onias IV, together with the military colony that went with it. Statistics show clearly that whereas the number of Semitic mercenaries increased in the second century BC, that of Greek and Thracian mercenaries and the mercenaries from Asia Minor declined. The Seleucids, too, seem to have used Jewish mercenaries in their service from the beginning.

    The Jewish military settlers transplanted to Egypt adopted the Greek language Greek customs relatively quickly, as they had no desire to be counted among the down-trodden, native-barbarian population and, moreover, lived in closest contact with Greeks and Macedonian soldiers. This assimilation went so far that the Jews could adopt the designation “Macedonians”, because they or their forebears had served in Macedonian units.

    Against Apion (Josephus Flavius)

    Alexander's opinion of the Jews of Alexandria was shared by Ptolemy, son of Lagus. He entrusted the fortresses of Egypt to their keeping, confident of their loyalty and bravery as guards; and, when was anxious to strengthen his hold upon Cyrene and the other cities of Libya, he sent out a party of Jews to settle there.

    A History of the Jewish People (Abraham Malamat)


    The Jewish community is to be regarded as a direct offshoot of the Egyptian community since, most of the time, the two lived under the same government. The Jews were numerous in the large cities of Cyrenaica, such as Cyrene and Berenice, as well as in the rural areas.

    The Jews Under Roman Rule: From Pompey to Diocletian a Study in Political Relations (E. Mary Smallwood)

    But the big influx of Jews into Egypt began with the foundation of Alexandria and continued under the Ptolemies, until the first century AD. The Jews in Egypt could be put (though probably with some exaggeration) at a million. Cyrenaica was another popular centre of Jewish settlement from the early third century BC. Ptolemy I sent Jewish colonists to secure Cyrene and other Libyan cities, and as Cyrenaica remained under Ptolemaic rule until it was bequethed to Rome in 96 BC, immigration from Egypt continued.

    The Hellenization of the Jews between 334 B. C. and 70 A. D. (George Holley Gilbert)


    But the chief voluntary migration of Jews from Palestine dates from the time of Alexander and is one of the significant historical results of his campaign. Whether Jewish soldiers went with Alex-ander to the East, and whether they formed a part of the population of Alexandria from the very first, are points on which there is doubt; but that they went to Egypt in great numbers in the reign of Ptolemy Lagus and formed a large element of the population of Alexandria is certain. This Egyptian colony is said to have numbered one million in the time of Philo, that is, it was about the size of the present Jewish population in greater New York. West of Alexandria, in Cyrene, the Jews were so numerous that they maintained a synagogue of their own in Jerusalem in the first century, and in the time of Titus there was an uprising among them headed by a certain Jonathan who had two thousand followers.

    Last edited by Magas of Cyrene; February 05, 2017 at 06:55 AM.

  11. #51
    Maetharin's Avatar Senator
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    Default Re: [IN PROGRESS] Cyrene Expanded

    Hmm mayby Katoikoi was a more common term, maybe it meant something different from Kleruchoi?
    I could imagine that it was a legal defintion and determined the terms of military service.
    We can only speculate here, but I doubt it would change anything for the actual gameplay.

    Concerning the Jews, I really wonder how they were recruited, maybe they were Misthophoroi Kleruchoi?
    Also, when was it established that Jews wore no armour? TheyŽre always depicted without armour, and IŽve never actually seen any kind of proof for this.
    WouldnŽt the first thing youŽd buy with your pay be armour?
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  12. #52

    Default Re: [IN PROGRESS] Cyrene Expanded

    Quote Originally Posted by Maetharin View Post
    Hmm mayby Katoikoi was a more common term, maybe it meant something different from Kleruchoi?
    I could imagine that it was a legal defintion and determined the terms of military service.
    We can only speculate here, but I doubt it would change anything for the actual gameplay.

    It is a bit perplexing, since these terms mean ostensibly the same thing - i.e. military settlers. Maybe the Ptolemaic kingdom used the term Katoikoi Hippeis in order to make it clear that the cavalrymen were a different class altogether, a more elite one? As you say, we can only speculate at this point.

    Quote Originally Posted by Maetharin View Post
    Concerning the Jews, I really wonder how they were recruited, maybe they were Misthophoroi Kleruchoi?
    Also, when was it established that Jews wore no armour? TheyŽre always depicted without armour, and IŽve never actually seen any kind of proof for this.
    WouldnŽt the first thing youŽd buy with your pay be armour?
    About the Misthophoroi Kleruchoi - Fischer-Bovet has some information:

    The development of the mistophoroi kleruchoi has also been explained by the withdrawal of Egypt from international warfare in the Mediterranean. Local recruitment indeed increased in period B and C and created new types of military institutions such as that of the locally-recruited mistophoroi that Van 't Dack called “milice permamente. However, already at the period A, local recruitment was increasing, but the nature of this phenomenon was slightly different. The immigrants' sons who joined the professional troops already in the third century BC, either as mistophoroi or mistophoroi kleruchoi, were the prototypes of the sons of local well-to-do Egyptian and Greco-Egyptian familes, who became, in second century BC, mistophoroi in Upper Egypt, and mistophoroi, kleruchoi, or mistophoroi kleruchoi in Middle Egypt.

    We saw that mistophoroi kleruchoi who were cavalrymen may have received eighty arouras; for Griffith, who criticizes Lesquier, the mistophoroi kleruchoi were different from the kleruchoi in that they were in active service and they were also different from the mistophoroi in that they have received a kleros.

    I rather suggest that all the Macedonians obtained kleros but could possibly remain active, thus fitting the concept of mistophoroi kleruchoi.
    ----

    So it would seem that the Mistophoroi kleruchoi could be considered Kleruchoi who were still (or currently) in active service - in that they've received both kleros and regular pay. So in other words - they were free to cultivate their land during peacetime, but when called into military service, they would be also paid. If that was the case, I would assume that the Jewish military settlers in Cyrene could probably be considered Mistophoroi kleruchoi, as they would probably have to be in active service permanently.

    And lastly, about the Jewish troops equipment - and their apparent lack of armour, I agree that it would seem that it'd be the first thing you'd buy, if you were a professional soldier. That said, Jewish soldiers almost exclusively fought in the hot climates and most likely weren't granted large arouras of land - and I assume wouldn't be particulary wealthy. Nor would they need heavy panoply since they were mostly employed as garrison troops; thus little to no armour would probably be both sufficient and comfortable.

    We can also draw upon the Dead Sea Scrolls (1QM and 4QM).

    Three kinds of infantry attack in turn, firstly slingers, then javelinmen and finally close-combat troops equipped with an oval shield, sword and 10' spear to finish of the demoralised foe.

    However, given the position of a large lacuna in 1QM, it can not be ruled out that of these two ranks, only the second is of slingers and the first is instead of archers. Certainly infantry archers are mentioned in other sources describing Jewish forces.


    The equipment of only one sort of infantry is described in any detail. These men carry a shield 2.5 cubits long and 1.5 cubits wide (approximately 115 by 69 cm, but perhaps 105 by 63 cm depending upon the size of the cubit). This has in the past been interpreted as a Roman scutum, but its size is rather too small, much more like the thureoi depicted on many monuments of Hellenistic mercenaries. Each such infantryman carries a sword, 1.5 cubits long, and a spear, 7 cubits long (ca. 320 cm, or 10'8"). No armour is mentioned, no javelins are carried. Such infantrymen would appear to be nothing more or less than standard thureophoroi, save for the apparent lack of a helmet.

    1QM - 3.4 says that every man should be equipped like this, but since the slingers, javelinmen and cavalry are all clearly different, this description must only refer to only one line of infantry. The lack of a helmet is somewhat surprising given their close-combat role. It might be thought that the author assumed a helmet was so obvious a piece of equipment it didn't need mentioning, and this would be my preferred interpretation.

    Each division is divided into three lines, apparently separated, at least at deployment, by a 30 cubit gap. The first line ordered into battle is comprised of 2 ranks/lines of slingers. They are to deliver seven volleys before they are ordered to retire and take their station on each flank of the formation. The number 7 is rather symbolic and might not be taken literally, although there is nothing on the face of it improbable about it. The next line ordered forwards are 3 ranks/lines of javelinmen. The first rank is to hurl 7 javelins, then the second rank likewise, and then the third rank 7 more volleys, before they too are ordered to retire, though unlike the slingers they do not move to the flanks. Again, the number of volleys may be merely symbolic, but Roman velites are variously reported to have carried either 5 or 7 javelins so once again, the number is not itself implausible.

    Certainly there is nothing Roman in the equipment of the infantry - there is a complete lack of body armour, and nothing remotely comparable to the pilum is attested. The emphasis is on showering the enemy with light missile weapons, and only at the very last instant are any sword-strokes envisaged, and even then only by a select few.

    (Source: http://lukeuedasarson.com/NewSonsOfLight.html)
    ----

    It's from a later period and it was a rebel army (which would explain it being relatively poorly-equipped), but it does suggest that fighting uencumbered by armour might have been a Jewish way in that time.

    As for the Jewish troops look (again, from Dead Sea Scrolls), here's some information:

    Start with a deep near-eastern suntan, black hair and full beards for all. The basic man's garment was a tunic made from two rectangular sheets of cloth joined along one narrow edge with an opening left for the wearer's head. Each sheet had two dark stripes woven into it. The stripes ran the length of each sheet and were matched where the sheets joined at the shoulders. The sides of the tunic were not sewn; the garment was held closed with a leather or rope belt. The cloth could be dyed various bright colors, but most Maccabee rebels were poor farm boys, so their tunics would mostly be off-white/greyish unbleached wool with black stripes. Brown, blue or purple stripes were also possible.

    Over his tunic a man might wear a mantle, a large rectangular sheet of cloth, wrapped around him or draped over his shoulders. Mantles had dark bands with notched edges woven into them, parallel to and not far from the narrow edges of the sheet. Again, unbleached wool would be the most common fabric for mantles, though they could be dyed in different colors, and black the most common color for the notched bands. Leather sandals.


    If you're working in 25mm or larger and you like super-detail, you may want to represent your Maccabees as wearing "tefilin" (small leather boxes of ritual significance) bound to their left arms and foreheads. Ancient "tefilin" were smaller than modern types, so just paint the leather straps.

    (Source: http://fanaticus.org/DBA/armies/II43/index.html)


    Will be useful when developing their models!

    I've also been thinking about changing Cyrene's political factions. Currently there are:

    [Political factions]

    House of Magas (Magasian Dynasty? Not sure what would be the best term)

    Magas of Cyrene (c. 317 – 250 BC) was a son of Berenice I and Philip of Macedon. He was also a stepson of Ptolemy II and ruled Cyrene as his vassal, until 274 BC, when he rebelled and named himself king. Later on he even attempted to seize Alexandria, but was unsuccesful. Although his new found dynasty was short-lived, it's up to the player to change the course of history...

    Macedonian Nobility

    Macedonian Kleruchoi who have acquired a higher social standing, members of the elite.

    Pentapolis Nobility

    Greek nobles of the five cities of Cyrenaica - Cyrene, Apollonia, Ptolemais (which ultimately overshadowed Barce), Taucheira and Euhesperides. The “old” aristocracy.

    Merchant Oligarchs

    Cyrene maintained commercial contacts both with Greece and with Naukratis in Egypt. The discovery of the mysterious plant called in antiquity silphion, which the kings of Cyrene endeavoured to exercise a monopoly of, has granted considerable profits to the kingdom. Hence the probable rise of the Merchant Oligarchy as an important political power in Cyrene.While Merchant Oligarchs do make sense,I reckon they could very well be represented by Pentapolis Nobility and there is no need to have them as a separate class. I was considering Jewish Nobility instead. Multiple sources point to the Jews being heavily Hellenized, we also know that they were employed at the various levels of administration in Egypt. They were also apparently held in high regard by Ptolemy I, who entrusted the safekeeping of Cyrene to them. Jewish generals served in the Ptolemaic armies of the later periods as well (Helkias and Ananias); that suggest the growing influence of the Jews in the Ptolemaic Kingdom as the time passes. We don't know that much social standing of the Jews in Cyrene in 3rd century BC, but with the aforementioned knowledge we can speculate a bit. In other words, what if Cyrene actually retained its independency (gained by Magas in about 274 BC) and how would it develop then?

    First of all, let's consider the role of nobility in the Ptolemaic Kingdom:

    Jewish Perspectives on Hellenistic Rulers (Tessa Rajak)

    Possession of power of some kind – maybe social, economic, or military rather than or in addition to political – is intrinsic to what we mean by aristocracy, as the etymology of the word suggests. (…) The power and wealth of an aristocracy in general must be basically held and transmitted independently of the monarchy. This point is highly relevant here, since the practice followed by the Ptolemies and the other Hellenistic monarchs of rewarding their followers with grants that were temporary, revocable, and not hereditary is one of the features that seem to have inhabited their development into a “classic” aristocracy.

    While land is characteristic and readily identifiable source of aristocratic wealth and power, aristocrats have often also tapped other sources of wealth, and one should not insist on the possesion of landed estates as opposed to other forms of transmissible power and wealth, such as temple and scribal office-holding traditionally significant in Egypt.

    ---

    The tradition of Hellenistic monarchs rewarding their followers with temporary grants certainly provides some historical basis for the inclusion of the Jewish Nobility into the Cyrene's politcal factions system:


    • Jews were numerous in Cyrene;
    • They were also heavily Hellenized and were known to have assimilated quickly into the Hellenistic societies of Ptolemies and Selecuids;
    • They migrated there as military settlers, possibly as Mistophoroi Kleruchoi, which implies at least a certain level of power;
    • Since they held the garrisons of Cyrene, Magas had to either pacify them militarily or somehow persuade them to join him; the latter seems more likely to me;
    • If they were indeed persuaded, they would've liked received the aforementioned grants of land - and thus power;
    • Given the difficulty of recruiting Macedonian/Greek soldiers (which only increased as time passed by) it stands to reason to assume that the role of Jewish mercenaries would only grow with time;
    • Magas had to establish a powerbase within the region - The Jews, as loyal and dependable soldiers seemed ideal for this task.


    It's also to be expected that the Jewish military settlers would have most likely tried to exploit the power struggle between Magas and Ptolemy II, as they did exploit the temporary successes of Ptolemies and the Seleucids against each other. The Jewish military settlers would have likely gained considerable pull after backing Magas' ambitions:

    Josephus' Jewish War and Its Slavonic Version: A Synoptic Comparison of the English Translation by H. St. J. Thackeray with the Critical Edition by N.A. Meščerskij

    Judaea in 331 BC had become part of the state of Alexander of Macedonia as a result of battle of Issa. After this the country for almost a century and a half was an apple of discord and an arena of embittered struggle between two succesor states, the heirs of Alexander, namely Ptolemaic Egypt and Seleucid Syria. The Jewish nobility, the major slave-owners and the highest order of the priesthood for the most part exploited the temporary success of one side or the other, trying to gain them for the maximum benefit for themselves. Sometimes internicine strife flared up between different groups of Jewish magnates, supporters of different factions.
    ---

    Furthermore, there's strong papyrological evidence of Jewish Politeumas in Ptolemaic Kingdom (i.e. the minority populations who had some degree of self-government and independent jurisdiction). It is very likely that the Jewish military settlers would've established a similar self-governed organization in Cyrene. Not only that, there's some evidence of Jewish commanders in the Ptolemaic army as well; which would support the possible addition of Jewish Nobility into Cyrene's political factions.

    First Jewish Military Units in Ptolemaic Egypt (A. Kasher)


    The putting down of roots by priest Hezekiah and his Jewish countrymen in Egypt (in the days of Ptolemy I) might be evaluated as the establishment of a military settlement (katoikia). It stands to reason that this politeia contained the conditions of military service of Hezekiah and his men, the like of which was used in other similar cases, since the legitimate basis for military service was mainly by contract. The politeia seemingly defined the rights of Hezekiah's men to be organized as a politeuma, and more precisely as a katoikia instituted and regulated according to ancestral laws.


    The above mentioned politeia is to be estimated as a “charter” for the new community, which stated the community's political organization and rights. It is worthwhile emphasizing that the standing of a priest as a leader of a military settlement indicates an organization of a unit with defined religious and national character. It does not surprise us, therefore, that priests are mentioned in Ps. Aristeas 310 among the leaders of the Jewish politeuma in Alexandria, a body which originally was of a military character.

    Logically, the right to adhere to ancestral laws while serving in the army was common to soldiers in consolidated units based on ethnical and religious characteristics,
    such as those serving in Cyprus for example (the ethnic military associations in Cyprus were also headed by priests). It seems that Alexander Macedon's invitation for Jews to serve in his army is to be judged similarly, since he stressed that those Jews would be allowed to maintain ancestral laws.



    Josephus states further that Ptolemy sent groups of Jewish settlers to Cyrene and other Libyan cities in accordance with his policy of strengthening his military and political hold there. Undoubtedly the term which is used by Josephus in this context is related to military settlement. Strabo defined Jewish communities in Cyrene and Egypt by this very term, and according to his opinion this pointed to the form of Jewish communal organization. The structural framework of these bodies is very clearly expressed by Strabo's testimony, as it is quoted by Josephus in Ant. XIV, 114-117, particularly be referring to the Jewish community in Alexandria as an “independent politeia”. The liberation decree of Ptolemy II Philadelphos to the Jewish captives who had been brought to Egypt in his father's days (Ps. Aristeas 22-25) gave the opportunity to many of them to join the military ranks, and probably they were enlisted in groups which were organized as Jewish units.



    One of the most important documents pertaining to Jews in the third century BC, CpJud. I, 19 (dated 226 BC), relates do soldiers bearing the ethnical designation “Jew”, who were living in Arsinoe, the central city of Fayyum. Paying attention to the existence of a Jewish community in this city, a fact which is indicated by some other documents, we can state that the Jewish military settlers were authorized to maintain a self-organized body of their own. The document proves by the many Jewish names mentioned in it (over twenty in number) that there was indeed a firmly consolidated Jewish unit in Sarneia and its neighborhood. It is even possible to clearly discern between simple soldiers and the ranks of the officers; and the Jewish identity of the latter is irrefutable.



    The papyrological findings prove also the existence of Jewish commanders before the days of Onias IV. They were serving either in integrated units, or in distinct Jewish ones. It seems that among the first Jewish commanders we should point out Tubias, the senior officer in charge of the cleruchy in Trans-Jordania which contained soldiers of various ethnic origins.



    In the Fayum an important inscription was found in which the name of Ela'azar, son of Nicolaos, the hegemon was mentioned. This very term applied to high military position in the Ptolemaic army which was only secondary to that of the strategos.
    Last edited by Magas of Cyrene; February 05, 2017 at 08:23 AM.

  13. #53
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    Default Re: [IN PROGRESS] Cyrene Expanded

    So it would seem that the Mistophoroi Kleruchoi could be considered Kleruchoi who were still (or currently) in active service - in that they've received both kleros and regular pay. So in other words - they were free to cultivate their land during peacetime, but when called into military service, they would be also paid. If that was the case, I would assume that the Jewish military settlers in Cyrene could probably be considered Mistophoroi Kleruchoi, as they would probably have to be in active service permanently.
    Hmm, as far as I know, Misthophoroi was a very specific term, and usually they received two kinds of payment, a recruitment or settlement payment and permanent pay.
    Maybe Misthophoroi Kleruchoi simply received a Kleros instead of the former. This way he could more easily sustain a family when on campaign.
    If we believes GriffithŽs chapter about mercenary payment and its relative size to other occupations, it would ceratinly be an easy fit.

    But then again, this is speculation and IMO rather too simple to be true. Normally IŽd say simple is best, but IŽve been proven wrong too many times to appy this here.
    At the most IŽd assume itŽs one kind of arrangement which fits this term.

    Concerning the Jews and the dead sea scrolls, as you yourself
    It's from a later period and it was a rebel army (which would explain it being relatively poorly-equipped), but it does suggest that fighting uencumbered by armour might have been a Jewish way in that time
    and the source say, they are about the Maccabean revolt.

    These were poorly armed and trained rebels in Judea, so IMO it doesnŽt say anything about professional troops employed by either the Seleucids or the Ptolemies.
    IMO it has more to do with their inability to get armour than any national fighting style.
    Egyptians were noted by Herodotus to have worn linen armour, so IMO this attests to linen being usable in the Egyptian climate.

    Furthermore, since the Antigonids equipped their soldiers, IMO itŽs reasonable to assume that both the Seleucids and the Ptolemies at least provided their soldiers means to equip themselves.
    If not by directly arming them, then by providing them with the opportunity to buy arms and armour.
    I at least suspect that whoever could afford armour would buy it, since thatŽs what IŽd certainly do.
    Last edited by Maetharin; February 05, 2017 at 07:21 AM.
    "Ceterum censeo Carthaginem delendam esse!"

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    "I concur!"

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  14. #54

    Default Re: [IN PROGRESS] Cyrene Expanded

    Quote Originally Posted by Maetharin View Post
    Hmm, as far as I know, Misthophoroi was a very specific term, and usually they received two kinds of payment, a recruitment or settlement payment and permanent pay.
    Maybe Misthophoroi Kleruchoi simply received a Kleros instead of the former. This way he could more easily sustain a family when on campaign.
    If we believes GriffithŽs chapter about mercenary payment and its relative size to other occupations, it would ceratinly be an easy fit.

    But then again, this is speculation and IMO rather too simple to be true. Normally IŽd say simple is best, but IŽve been proven wrong too many times to appy this here.
    At the most IŽd assume itŽs one kind of arrangement which fits this term.
    I agree it seems far-fetched that the military settlers would also receive regular pay. I would argue that the grant of land was more than a satisfactory compensation and that the Mistophoroi were simply a short-term solution, when the soldiers were needed without any delay; the Kleruchoi would be a standing army of sorts instead, ready to be called upon when needed.

    Quote Originally Posted by Maetharin View Post
    Concerning the Jews and the dead sea scrolls, as you yourself

    and the source say, they are about the Maccabean revolt.

    These were poorly armed and trained rebels in Judea, so IMO it doesnŽt say anything about professional troops employed by either the Seleucids or the Ptolemies.
    IMO it has more to do with their inability to get armour than any national fighting style.
    Egyptians were noted by Herodotus to have worn linen armour, so IMO this attests to linen being usable in the Egyptian climate.

    Furthermore, since the Antigonids equipped their soldiers, IMO itŽs reasonable to assume that both the Seleucids and the Ptolemies at least provided their soldiers means to equip themselves.
    If not by directly arming them, then by providing them with the opportunity to buy arms and armour.
    I at least suspect that whoever could afford armour would buy it, since thatŽs what IŽd certainly do.
    I generally agree, though I would argue that at least some professional soldiers from Ptolemaic and Selecuid kingdoms had to be present, since the army's described as very well trained:

    The Maccabean army was supposed to be composed of 30,000 soldiers, most of them, as you've mentioned, poorly armed and untrained rebels.

    I would guess that the 'real' army that the scroll was derived from included a trained core equivalent to one division - over 8000 men, and that it was accompanied by a mass of untrained men of variable quality who would likely not form part of the main battle line, perhaps up to three times this number.

    (Source: http://lukeuedasarson.com/NewSonsOfLight.html)

    On top of that, I'd argue that the Jews were mainly garrison troops, which would mean they didn't have to use armour most of the time and would be more likely be used to fighting brigands or putting down revolting populace. Or just used to slow down the invaders.

    By the way, what do you think about Jewish Nobility as a political faction of Cyrene? I've added quite a bit information about it in my previous post, which I have edited just now.

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    I agree it seems far-fetched that the military settlers would also receive regular pay. I would argue that the grant of land was more than a satisfactory compensation and that the Mistophoroi were simply a short-term solution, when the soldiers were needed without any delay; the Kleruchoi would be a standing army of sorts instead, ready to be called upon when needed.
    I actually do think they got paid regularly, IIRC the term was misthos, but this aspect of Griffith is very specific and I donŽt have it at hand right now.
    But instead of advance payment or letŽs call it recruitment bonus, they received a kleros corresponding to their importance.
    IŽm no expert on this though, just interested.

    I generally agree, though I would argue that at least some professional soldiers from Ptolemaic and Selecuid kingdoms had to be present, since the army's described as very well trained:

    The Maccabean army was supposed to be composed of 30,000 soldiers, most of them, as you've mentioned, poorly armed and untrained rebels.

    I would guess that the 'real' army that the scroll was derived from included a trained core equivalent to one division - over 8000 men, and that it was accompanied by a mass of untrained men of variable quality who would likely not form part of the main battle line, perhaps up to three times this number.
    The problem with this line of argument is that the Maccabaean revolt was conducted by religious hardliners who retaliated against the retaliation of Antiochus Epiphanes(IIRC?).
    IMO itŽs uncertain how many of the hellenised jewish soldiery joined them. Especially since the whole affair had started because High Priest in Jerusalem was hellenised.
    But again, IŽm no expert on the topic, these are just my thoughts.

    Furthermore, I generally doubt writings with religious background. Religious writers always strive to fit everything to their perspective.
    But then again, itŽs not as if all hellenic writers were completely neutral either.
    "Ceterum censeo Carthaginem delendam esse!"

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  16. #56

    Default Re: [IN PROGRESS] Cyrene Expanded

    Quote Originally Posted by Maetharin View Post
    I actually do think they got paid regularly, IIRC the term was misthos, but this aspect of Griffith is very specific and I donŽt have it at hand right now.
    But instead of advance payment or letŽs call it recruitment bonus, they received a kleros corresponding to their importance.
    IŽm no expert on this though, just interested.
    If it was an "advance payment", that could perhaps mean that the Mistophoroi were paid more than the Kleruchoi; they simple chose to be paid upfront. I'm definitely not an expert either, but here's my take - I think that a grant of land was even more valuable, as it provided stable income. The mention of Mistophoroi Kleruchoi also suggests that the Kleruchoi weren't paid, they've simply received land grants.

    We also know that the Kleruchoi paid taxes - thus I don't think they were paid on top of receiving land grants. Here's Fischer-Bovet's take on the topic, she does suggest that the Mistophoroi and Kleruchoi were remunerated in different ways:

    The Ptolemies used two types of remuneration: professional or mercenary soldiers received cash (opsonion or misthos) and food, whereas cleruchs were granted plots of land (kleroi). The standing army – troops maintained in peacetime and also used in war as the army's core – was made up of professional soldiers stationed in garrisons and cleruchic troops serving in turn, presumably for only part of the year, in garrisons (Lesquier divided the Ptolemaic army into [a] regular troops – cleruchs, [b] mercenaries and [c] indigenous troops, but this categorization is often misleading and is not followed here).

    All cleruchic troops were mobilized simultaneously only in case of war. In addition, the existence of a mixed group, the mistophoroi kleruchoi, shows that the system was flexible.


    In the final decades of the third century fewer soldiers immigrated into Egypt, with the exception of those hired during the Fourth Syrian War in 219 BC. At that time many cavalry and infantry mercenaries garrisoned in Egypt were the descendants of previous generations of mercenaries and cleruchs and had been born in the country. This suggests a difference between them and the mercenaries stationed outside Egypt or hired for a war. After the period of crisis the Ptolemies hired Egyptians and Greco-Egyptians to regain cotrol of the Thebaid. These were professional troops in garrisons who received a wage and were thus called mistophoroi in Greek (Van 't Dack calls them permanent militia).

    In contrast, other soldiers were granted land in exchange for military service. Ptolemy I had probably remunerated soldiers in this way, but the cleruchic system developed under Ptolemy II and III, although cleruchs also received a ration while on duty.

    Van 't Dack, finally, followed by Scheuble, suggests that the Ptolemies began to hire soldiers from the cleruchic army to serve permanently in garrisons.

    The size of their plots placed the cavalry not only within the upper class of cleruchs – a group later called katoikia – but also in the upper strata of society.
    ---

    I intend to check The Mercenaries of the Hellenistic World by G. T. Griffith to find out more. It would probably be very difficult to represent gameplay-wise though, but still, it's an interesting topic.

    Quote Originally Posted by Maetharin View Post
    The problem with this line of argument is that the Maccabaean revolt was conducted by religious hardliners who retaliated against the retaliation of Antiochus Epiphanes(IIRC?).
    IMO itŽs uncertain how many of the hellenised jewish soldiery joined them. Especially since the whole affair had started because High Priest in Jerusalem was hellenised.
    But again, IŽm no expert on the topic, these are just my thoughts.

    Furthermore, I generally doubt writings with religious background. Religious writers always strive to fit everything to their perspective.
    But then again, itŽs not as if all hellenic writers were completely neutral either.
    I agree, these texts definitely shouldn't be completely trusted (just like any another single source), but it's the only source which describes Jewish troops' equipment in any detail. I think it stands to reason to expect at least a small presence of professional soldiery among the rebels, since the revolt was able to secure some victories against the Seleucids.

    That said, it's speculative, of course. I aim to learn more about the Jewish troops, however - I'll be reading The Ptolemaic Army by Sekunda next, maybe I'll find some information there.
    Last edited by Magas of Cyrene; February 05, 2017 at 03:07 PM.

  17. #57

    Default Re: [IN PROGRESS] Cyrene Expanded

    CYRENEAN ROSTER - PART II
    Libyans


    Previous part can be found here.

    What was the role of Libyans in Cyrenean society, culture and army?
    If we drew comparisons with Carthage, they certainly weren't as embedded in the society or as heavily represented in its military. In fact, Cyreneans were quite frequently at odds with Libyans. But that's not the whole story.

    It has been seen above how the extension of Greek settlement in Cyrenaica provoked wars with the local Libyans, and how clashes with the Libyans recurred throughout the period. But Greeks and Libyans did not always meet as enemies. Libyans are on occasions found in alliance with the Greeks, as with Cyrene against Thibron in the 320s. It is also probable that the contingents of war-chariots which served with the armies of Cyrene and Barce in the fifth and fourth centuries were provided by Libyan allies. There was also a considerable absorption of Libyan elements into the population of the Greek states. It is not clear whether the Libyans were expelled from the lands taken by he Greek settlers or retained as subjects. It can, however, be assumed that the slaves employed by the Greeks on the land and in the cities would have been predominantly Libyans.

    What is more remarkable is the assimilation of Libyans into the free population. It is possible that the Greek colonists brought few women of their own. At any rate, it apparently became quite normal for Greek men to take Libyan wives. A poem written by Pindar for a citizen of Cyrene in the time of Arkesilas IV (Pythian Ode, ix) relates how one of the early settlers at Cyrene (an ancestor of Pindar's client) competed successfully in an athletic competi*tion at Irasa, in the territory of theLibyan tribe of the Giligamai, to win the hand of a Libyan woman. That such marriages were common is proved by the constitutional regulations imposed on Cyreneby Ptolemy after 322 BC, which are preserved in an inscription, and which include the provision that the children of Cyrenaean men by Libyan wives should have citizen status. This Libyan element in the population of the Greek cities evidently had some impact on their culture. A few Greeks adopted Libyan names.

    It has already been noted that the royal name Battos was, according to Herodotus, of Libyan origin. Alazeir, the name of the ruler of Barce in the time of Arkesilas III, is also Libyan. Libyan influence on the Greeks was most evident in the sphere of religion. Herodotus observes that the women of Cyrene celebrated the festivals of the Egyptian goddess Isis, and observed the prohibition on the meat of cows (which were sacred to Isis), while the women of Barce also observed the Egyptian pro*hibition on the eating of pork, and states that these Egyptian customs came to the Greeks through the Libyans.

    Among other borrowings, the Cyrenaean passion for chariot-racing was certainly influenced by the local Libyans, among whom the horse-drawn war-chariot was still in normal use, whereas it had long ago been abandoned in Greece.



    Herodotus, indeed, claims that the Greeks learned from the Libyans the technique of using teams of four horses for chariots. That the Greek colonistsin turn influenced the culture of the Libyans is highly probable, but difficult to establish in detail.

    The usual weapon of the Libyans, employed by their infantry as well as by their chariotry and cavalry, was the javelin.


    Cyrenaean Greeks were prominent in Egypt, providing some noted members of the Museum of Alexandria, and Cyrenaean forces (Greek and Libyan) served with the Ptolemaic army.

    --
    (Source: The Cambridge History of Africa Volume 2 from c. 500 BC to AD 1050 - J.D. Fage & Roland Oliver)
    --

    There's more evidence of Libyan-Greek ties as well. Herodotus mentiones in The Histories (Book 4, chapter 164) a story of Arcesilaus of Battiad dynasty (which ruled the Cyrene from 630 BC to ca. 440 BC), who went to Barce, to his father-in-law, King Alazeir:

    This King Alazeir has been taken to be a Libyan, but his daughter is described by Herodotus as a kinswoman of her husband Arcesilas, which means she was a Battiad. We know that there were Battiads in Barca at the time from the passage Hdt. iv.202.2. So there are two possibilities: either Alazeir was a Libyan, and his daughter's Battiad blood came through her mother, or Alazeir himself was a Battiad with a Libyan name. In the second case, which both Macan and Chamoux regarded as the more probable, the Libyan name may attest intermarriage in earlier generation, just as the Thracian name of Thucydide's father bore witness to his ancestor Militiades' marriage to Hegesipyle, daughter of Olorus. Such intermarriage would be readily understandable, since the Battiad founders of Barca had very close relations with the Libyans.

    The evidence clearly suggests that intermarriage between Greeks and Libyans was frequent in Cyrenaica, but it does not stricly tell us whether the women of the first settlement at Cyrene were Greeks or Libyans.


    There is, however,
    one further interesting piece of information in Herodotus which bears on the question. He tells us (iv. 186) that the women of Cyreneans and those of the Barcaeans observed the same taboos about food as the Libyan women, who in these matters followed the Egyptians. This fact, when combined with the evidence we have mentioned, has convinced many that at Cyrene the Greek colonists found their wives among the native Libyans.

    Herodotus mentions only men as colonists (iv. 150 and especially 153), and the regulations for recruitment in the decree arranging for the foundation preserved in a Cyrenean inscription of the fourth century similarly only concerned with men. In addition we know from Pindar (Pyth. Ix 105-125) and Callimachus (Hymn to Apollo 85ff.) that there were traditions of intermarriage between Greeks and the Libyan women at Cyrene. Furthermore, the edict of Ptolemy I establishing the constitution of Cyrene laid it down that the sons of Cyrenean men and Libyan women should have full citizen rights.
    --
    (Source: Collected Papers on Greek Colonization - A. J. Graham)
    --

    There are more documented cases of Libyans being allied with the Greeks. First of all, we have Polybius' account of the battle of Raphia:


    Andromachus and Ptolemy commanding the phalanx, Phoxidas the mercenaries; of which the numbers were respectively twenty-five thousand and eight thousand. The cavalry, again, attached to the court, amounting to seven hundred, as well as that which was obtained from Lybia or enlisted in the country, were being trained by Polycrates, and were under his personal command: amounting in all to about three thousand men. In the actual campaign the most effective service was performed by Echecrates of Thessaly, by whom the Greek cavalry, which, with the whole body of mercenary cavalry, amounted to two thousand men, was splendidly trained. No one took more pains with the men under his command than Cnopias of Allaria. He commanded all the Cretans, who numbered three thousand, and among them a thousand Neo-Cretans,1 over whom he had set Philo of Cnossus. They also armed three thousand Libyans in the Macedonian fashion, who were commanded by Ammonius of Barce.


    There were 5000 cavalry in total: Polycrates, one of the condottieri newly hired for the Fourth Syrian War, trained and commanded the 700 cavalry of the guard and 2,300 cavalry from Libya and from the country. The latter was mobilized for the battle and probably consisted of Cyreneans and other Libyans, as well as cavalry cleruchs and/or mistophoroi hippeis from the country.

    --
    (Source: Army and Society in Ptolemaic Egypt - Christelle Fischer-Bovet)
    --

    There are more mentions of Libyans allied to the Cyrenean Greeks - Ophellas, first a Ptolemaic governor of Cyrene, later self-styled king:

    In 322 Kyrene raised 30,000 troops under elected generals, but these included Libyan and Carthaginian allies. Ophellas, Ptolemy I's governor of Kyrene, marched in 308 to join Agathokles of Syracuse with 10,000 foot, 600 horse and 100 chariots with 300 crew, plus 10,000 non-combatants. The chariots were presumably Kyrenean; few of the other troops may have been, as many were Greek mercenaries, especially Athenians who enlisted in large numbers because of Ophellas' ties with the their city (he had an Athenian wife).



    The Libyan graffiti show only one or two crewmen, with spears, but Diodoros suggests that the Kyrenean chariots may have had a crew of three, as Ophellas' army in 308 had “a hundred chariots, and more than 300 charioteers and men to fight beside them.”



    There is no specific evidence for Kyrenean troops being called up to fight for Ptolemaic Egypt, unless the cavalry “from Libya” at Raphia were indeed Kyreneans, but it likely they could be called on if wanted. Kyreneans however seem to have enlisted in the Ptolemaic army in some numbers.



    The horse “from Libya” may be kleruchoi settled there, or alternatively citizens of Kyrene and other Greek towns of Libya, rather than native Libyans, who again had no tradition of cavalry warfare.


    Along with the Egyptians, 3,000 Libyan infantry in Macedonian equipment fought at Raphia. They may have been regarded as mercenaries rather than subjects, as Libyan mercenaries appear in 2nd century records.

    --
    (Source: Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars - Duncan Head)
    --


    One other instance of note was Libyans fighting alongside Greeks against Ptolemy VIII Physcon, as mentioned by Polybius (31.27):

    When he came to what is called the Great Slope, he found the Libyans and Cyreneans occupying the pass. Ptolemy was alarmed at this: but, putting half his forces on board boats, he ordered them to sail beyond the difficult ground, and show themselves on the rear of the enemy; while with the other half he marched up in their front and tried to carry the pass. The Libyans being panic-stricken at this double attack on front and rear, and abandoning their position, Ptolemy not only got possession of the pass, but also of Tetrapyrgia, which lay immediately below it, in which there was an abundant supply of water. Thence he crossed the desert in seven days, the forces under Mochyrinus coasting along parallel to his line of march. The Cyreneans were encamped eight thousand five hundred strong, eight thousand infantry and five hundred cavalry: for having satisfied themselves as to the character of Ptolemy from his conduct at Alexandria, and seeing that his government and policy generally were those of a tyrant rather than a king, they could not endure the idea of becoming his subjects, but were determined to venture everything in their desire for freedom. And at last he was beaten.

    --

    One further piece of information:

    The javelin was a traditional Libyan weapon, used in Xerxes' army in 480 and shown in Persian sculpture. The Libyan tribesmen who sometimes fought for Kyrene (…) barefoot, dressed in red, with short swords and light round shields. Like Carthaginians, the Libyans were noted for not wearing belts. Herodotos says they wore leather clothes, sometimes of goatskin with the hair removed, dyed red. Persian reliefs show Libyans in ankle-length robes with cloaks which maybe of skin, but shorter tunics are perhaps more likely for war. (…) head is shaven except for plaited crest with crescent ornament over the the forehead; this is from a grave stele of the 2nd century AD, but in the 5th BC Herodotus describes the style as characteristic of Makai (…).



    The horses of Kyrene were similar to Numidian mounts, but larger.

    --
    (Source: Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars - Duncan Head)
    --


    With all that information, I present the following roster:

    Information in brackets denotes from which population class the recruits will be drawn. For the the time being, the units' representations will be just rough sketches, based on current DeI designs.



    • MELEE INFANTRY


    Liby-Cyrenean Thorax Swordsmen

    -Kyrenoi Thorakitai
    [Kleruchoi]

    A what-if unit - there's evidence of Libyan-Greek intermarriage in Cyrene and we know of an edict of Ptolemy I, which laid it down that the sons of Cyrenean men and Libyan women should have full citizen rights. Armed with javelins, traditional Libyan weapon, and kopis swords, popular among Carthaginians. In look - somewhat similar to the Keltohellenikoi Thorakitai of Massalia, though with more of an Carthaginian influence.



    • SPEAR INFANTRY


    Libyan Levy Spearmen

    ...
    [Xenoi]
    Slightly modified Carthaginian Libyan Levies. Considering the importance of a javelin to Libyan warfare, I'll definitely add a couple to them (as well as corresponding shield model).

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Changes required: Punic designs removed from shield patterns, removing the belts, adding more red tunics, more barefoot variants. Red body-paint or tattoos. Pelte shields instead of the oblong ones. More Pilos-type helmets. Concept:


    ---

    • MISSILE INFANTRY


    Libyan Javelinmen

    ... Akontistai
    [Xenoi]
    Changes: Like described above.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    • MELEE CAVALRY


    Libyan Cavalrymen

    ... Hippeis
    [Xenoi]
    Changes: Like described above.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 




    • MISSILE CAVALRY


    Libyan Skirmisher Cavalrymen

    ... Hippakontistai
    [Xenoi]
    Changes: Like described above.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 





    • CHARIOT


    Cyrenean Chariots

    ...
    [Politai]
    The Libyan tribes, the Greeks of Cyrene and the Carthaginians used, until the end of the 4th century or early 3rd BC, four-horse chariots; no doubt all of them used the same basic design, Herodotos saying that the Greeks had actually learned the use of four-horse chariots from the Libyans. As mentioned above, they were definitely used in Ophellas' army as late as 322 BC. He has brought with him 100 chariots, with 300 crewmen, which suggests there was a driver and two skirmishers, most likely armed with javelins and spears.

    The Libyan graffiti show only one or two crewmen, with spears, but Diodoros suggests that the Kyrenean chariots may have had a crew of three, as Ophellas' army in 308 had “a hundred chariots, and more than 300 charioteers and men to fight beside them.”

    The usual weapon of the Libyans, employed by their infantry as well as by their chariotry and cavalry, was the javelin.


    The tactician Aineiais says that in mid-4th century Kyrene also used two- and four-horse wagons to transport her hoplites over long distances. This would enable them to travel relatively unaffected by the Libyan sun.



    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    • ELEPHANT


    North African Elephants

    ...
    [Xenoi]
    Ancient authors stated unanimously that Indian elephants were bigger and stronger than African or Libyan, as they called them.

    These were not the African elephants (Loxodonta africana) that live on the savannah of Central and Southern Africa, but animals native to North Africa belonging to the now-extinct species Loxodonta africana cyclotis (or Loxodonta atlantica). These elephants were still living in the Punic area of Berberia, isolated in the region after the dessication of the Sahara and malnournished from the lack of vegetation. They had neither the stature nor the strength of the Central African elephant, which can grow 3.5 m tall at the shoulder; they were also less powerful than the 3m Indian elephant, but could be domesticated as easily.


    The North African elephant reached a maximum height of 2.5 m; they had huge ears with rounded lobes, a high head carriage, a segmented or ridged trunk unlike the smooth proboscis of the Asian species, and long tusks. Their fairly modest height governed their employment in battle.

    For the battle it would appear that wooden superstructures with attached shields were sometimes mounted on their backs, and, according to Silius Italicus, long spears were fixed to their tusks to make these even more effective weapons. The use of “towers” or howdahs on North African elephants is problematic, however. An Indian elephant could easily carry upon its back a boxy structure large enough to hold two or three archers, slingers of javelineers, but the same was not necessarily true of the smaller North African species. It seems probable, therefore, that the latter mainly made use of their physical strength and weight for impact, with the driver (in the Punic term cornac) riding alone on the neck; but we cannot exclude the use of smaller (one-man?) towers or some simpler support for a crewman mounted on the back.



    North African Elephant is onn the left:
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    I would argue that Libyan hoplites are definitely out of the question - there are no sources of Libyans equipped as such ever fighting alongside Cyreneans. On top of that, I believe Cyrene would've had enough Greeks to fulfill that role. Thus I believe Libyans would've been primarily employed as javelin-armed skirmishers. Given the long history of conflict between the Greeks and Libyans, I don't believe that the latter would play as big of a role as they did in the Carthaginian military - and, in a way, that'd also mirror the danger of Machimoi; equipping and training native populace could potentially be very dangerous, as Ptolemaic Egypt has learned.

    However, I think that if Cyrene maintained its independence for a longer period, it would eventually be forced, just like Ptolemaic Kingdom, to employ native troops and give Libyans a more prominent role. Thus the idea of the Liby-Cyrenean Thorakitai. This concept could probably be expanded further, but it will definitely be connected to Thureos/Thorax reforms - that is, it will happen much later in the game.
    Last edited by Magas of Cyrene; February 10, 2017 at 01:49 AM.

  18. #58

    Default Re: [IN PROGRESS] Cyrene Expanded

    CYRENEAN ROSTER - PART III
    Greeks & Macedonians

    Part I (Jewish Military Settlers)
    Part II (Libyans)


    n 631BC, according to the most probable account - the Theraeans founded a city which they called Cyrene'. The other successful Greek colonies in North Africa seem all to have been offshoots of Cyrene. Three settlements appear, on archaeological evidence, to have been established soon after Cyrene itself: Apollonia (Marsa Susa), which served as the port of Cyrene, and two settlementson the coast further west, one at a site whose original name is not recorded, which was later known as Ptolemais (Tolmeta), and one at Taucheira (Tocra). The city of Barce (El Merj), in the hinterland of Ptolemais, is said to have been founded by dissidents from Cyrene around the middle of the sixth century BC.

    In later times, Cyrenaica was sometimes referred to as the 'Pentapolis', the 'Five Cities', the five being Cyrene, Apollonia, Ptolemais (which ultimately overshadowed Barce), Taucheira and Euhesperides.
    --
    (Source: The Cambridge History of Africa - Volume 2 from c. 500 BC to AD 1050 - J. D. Fage and Roland Oliver)
    --
    Cyrene was known as an unruly land - Ptolemaic governors often rebelled and declared themselves kings. First was Ophellas, who conquered Cyrene ca. 322 BC and styled himself king shortly after. Next was Magas - The young man, brought up in the sound Macedonian tradtion, had acquitted himself brilliantly in his task, and had subdued Cyrene and Libya, restoring Lagid authority (300 BC).
    --
    (Source: Hellenistic Civilization - Francois Chamoux)
    --
    One of his daughters, called after her Bactrian grandmother Apama, Antiochus had given in marriage to Magas, the half-brother of Ptolemy, who ruled the Cyrenaic province as viceroy. Some time after the Gallic invasion Magas declared himself independent and took up an attitude hostile to Egypt. Antiochus soon after abjured his neutrality and drew his sword against Ptolemy in alliance with his son-in-law. As Magas marched toward Alexandria, he was at first met with success, seizing the key town of Paraitonium, and arrived withing 60 kilometers of Alexandria. It was just at this point that a tribe of Libyan nomads took the opportunity to revolt, and he was forced back to Cyrene to deal with the situation. In the end Magas' efforts at a dynastic coup ended up in a fiasco. But in spite of the invasion, or possibly because of it, Magas continued his reign in Cyrene unmolested until his death some 25 years later.
    --
    (Source: The House of Seleucus - Edwyn Robert Bevan; Berenice II and the Golden Age of Ptolemaic Egypt - Dee L. Clayman)
    --

    Cyrene was an old Greek colony, with plentiful potential Greek recruits, which were prized in the region. In fact most of the Ptolemaic Kleruchoi were indeed Cyrenaeans:



    Cyrene was undoubtedly conquered by Macedonian forces led by Ophellas and Magas; on top of that Antigonids opposed the Ptolemies and actively prohibited the Macedonians from becoming Kleruchoi of the Ptolemaic Kingdom - which was most likely a direct cause of the rise of the Machimoi as an important fighting force in the later period. But the Antigonids probably wouldn't oppose their subjects who were willing to settle in Cyrene - after all, they were fighting one of their biggest enemies - Egypt.

    Morever, Cyrene was famous in the ancient times for its rich, fertile land - a perfect place for the Kleruchoi to settle. Polybius, in his description of the battle of Raphia mentions that They also armed three thousand Libyans in the Macedonian fashion, who were commanded by Ammonius of Barce.

    Libyan might be a term here for Kyrenean (Pausanians for instance refers to the Libyans of Cyrene sometimes rather than the Greeks of Cyrene, even when he is clearly talking about Greeks). I find it much more probably that 3000 'Libyan' pikemen would come from a Greek city in Libya, rather than be trained from 'native' Libyans with no tradition of close-combat warfare. At Raphia, the Ptolemaic administration even had to arm the Egyptian population as pikemen to meet the emergency, and I think they would have rearmed any subject Kyreneans first (and Kyrene was subject to Egypt), since they were already used to fighting in a phalanx.
    --
    (Source: http://lukeuedasarson.com/KyreneanGreekDBM.html)
    --


    Thus the following roster sketch is an amalgam of Greek/Macedonian settlers. However, there's one important consideration - I intend to severly limit the Kleruchoi population, thus making the Macedonian troops hard to come by - and their loss a big setback. As it's just a first sketch, everything's subject to change and I'd really appreciate feedback.


    Information in brackets denotes from which population class the recruits will be drawn. Concept art can be found in the spoiler tags, Europa Barbarorum II was a huge inspiration (and is the source of some of these pictures; some are from Duncan Head's excellent Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars 359 BC to 146 BC)



    • GENERAL


    Cyrenaean Royal Pikemen (Kyrenai Agema Phalangitai)
    [Kleruchoi]

    Given Magas' Macedonian heritage, an Agema unit is very likely to have guarded him in battle after he became King of Cyrene. Due to Cyrene's hot climate, linothorax is their primary armour.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    --
    Cyrenaean Sacred Squadron (Kyrenoi Hiera Ile)
    [Kleruchoi]

    Livy (42.58.9, 66.5, 44.42.2) calls the elite squadron of the Macedonian cavalry the "sacred squadron" (sacra ala), thus reflecting the original Greek Hiera ile (Source: Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars - Duncan Head). Tradtionally the strength of the Macedonian army was in the cavalry, formed by the nobles were the king's hetairoi (companions). At some stage the duty of guarding the king in battle was given to a unit known as the ile basilike - royal squadron (Source: A History of the Classical Greek World: 478 - 323 BC - P. J. Rhodes). It contains a list of eight cavalrymen and their servants (Papyrus SB XVI 12221, dated mid- or late third century BC - Commodore). This is not the place to try to define the nature of the list, interesting because of the first published mention of the Ptolemaic basilike ile, the royal squadron of pure Macedonian tradition. (Source: Hellenistic Egypt: Monarchy, Society, Economy, Culture - Jean Bingen). Cyrene's population of Macedonians was probably fairly low, thus the Royal Squadron would've most likely only accompanied important figures; hence making them solely a bodyguard unit. Very well equipped, many have cuirasses.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    --
    Cyrenaean Royal Guard (Basilikoi Epilektoi Hoplitai)
    [Kleruchoi]

    Cyrene was a Greek colony long before it became a Succesor Kingdom and the heritage of hoplite warfare runs deep in the society.


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 




    • MELEE INFANTRY


    Cyrenaean Swordsmen (Kyrenai Machairophoroi)
    Thureos Reform
    [Politai]

    The machairophoroi, that is, the sword-bearers, probably form several units of the guard and were professional soldiers. Some were protecting the royal couple, and were members of social-religious associactions called the sunodoi, "colleges", grouping the First Friends and the chiliarchoi (Source: Army and Society in Ptolemaic Egypt - Christelle Fischer-Bovet). I believe that the machairophoroi were thureos wielding swordsmen, as depicted on numerous Stelai. Herodotus terms them "short-sword carriers" and describes their equipment as including plaited helmets and concave shields with unusually large rims.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    –-
    Cyrenaean Thorax Swordsmen (Kyrenai Thorakitai)
    Thorax Reform
    [Politai]

    A what-if unit - composed of Greeks and Half-Greeks, which help alleviate the constant Greek manpower problems most Succesor Kingdoms had. There's evidence of Libyan-Greek intermarriage in Cyrene and we know of an edict of Ptolemy I, which laid it down that the sons of Cyrenean men and Libyan women should have full citizen rights. These professional soldiers are clad in chainmail, and armed with a thureos shield, a kopis sword and javelins for use in skirmishing.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 




    • HOPLITE/PIKE INFANTRY


    Cyrenaean Cleruch Pikemen (Kyrenai Kleruchoi Phalangitai)
    [Kleruchoi]

    Polybius mentions 3000 Libyans fighting "in a Macedonian fashion" in the battle of Raphia for the Ptolemaic Kingdom; most likely Greeks/Macedonians from the area, as arming Libyans with the pikes would probably be both risky and difficult, given their lack of experience with such a weapon.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    --

    Cyrenaean Hoplites (Kyrenai Hoplitai)
    [Politai]

    Like all Greek cities Kyrene relied on citizen hoplites, but one peculiarity was the she used four-horse chariots copied from Libyan neighbours. The tactician Aineiais says that in mid-4th century Kyrene also used two- and four-horse wagons to transport her hoplites over long distances. This would enable them to travel relatively unaffected by the Libyan sun (Source: Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars - Duncan Head)

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    --

    Cyrenaean Light Hoplites (Kyrenai Ekdromoi Hoplitai)
    [Politai]

    These soldiers are akin to Alexandrian hypaspists. The armament of the hypaspist has been long debated with no universally accepted conclusion being reached. Generations of scholarly argument have produced two main hypotheses. One view is that the hypaspists were armed and fought just like the pezetairoi of the phalanx. The alternative view is that their equipment was lighter, close to that of the peltasts. In favour of this their frequent use on forced marches, hill campaigns and other mobile operations demanding mobility. (Source: Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars - Duncan Head). I'm in favour of the second hypothesis - since hypaspists' role was the protection of the pikemen's flanks it stands to reason that they'd need to very mobile and able to fight in rough terrain. Hence the big "Argive" type of shield and a helmet for protection, nothing else. Such light equipment would be especially welcome in the hot climate of Africa.


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 





    • MISSILE INFANTRY


    Cretan Cleruch Archers (Kretai Kleruchoi Toxotai)
    Thureos Reform
    [Kleruchoi]

    The role of Cretan soldiers in the endemic wars that plagued the world of the Diadochi and Epigoni of Alexander has been often noted by historians. In fact, Scrinzi has compared the Cretan mercenaries with their Swiss counterparts of later years and Griffith saw them as the most prominent Greek soldiers of the Hellenistic era (Source: Cretans and Neocretans - Stylianos Spyridakis). Crete is in a close proximity to Cyrene and could offer a wealth of land and money to procure the Cretan's services. Having them as late as the Thureos reform is a gameplay consideration - they shouldn't be available right from the start. On top of that, they will be more armoured (linothorax, helmets) than their Cyrenaean counterparts from the earlier period.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    --
    Cyrenaean Peltasts (Kyrenai Peltastai)
    [Politai]

    The Peltast took his name from pelte, a light shield, and was customarily unarmoured and armed with javelins and sword (Source: Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars - Duncan Head).

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    --

    Cyrenaean Late Peltasts (Kyrenai Peltastai)
    Thureos Reform

    [Politai]

    After the Thureos Reform, they replace their earlier counterparts, fullfiling the same role on the battlefield, but with the benefit of greater protection, without sacrificing much mobility. In gameplay terms - the earlier versions, armed with pelte shields, will be made unavailable.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    --
    Cyrenaean Archers (Kyrenai Toxotai)
    [Politai]

    During the the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC increasing numbers of cities began to train their young citizens in archery, sometimes hiring Cretan instructors, and inscriptions recording archery contests are numerous. It is also possible that "Cretan", like "Tarentine" came to indicate a style of fighting rather than nationality, and that many Cretan units in Hellenistic armies were actually composed o mercenaries of mixed origin armed in the Cretan style. There are also three references to Cretans with shields, in Xenophon's Ten Tousand (bronze-faced peltai), in Seleucid service in 210 (aspisdiotai, a diminutive of aspis, probably indicating small round shields) and with Perseus at Pydna (Cretan peltai appear in Roman triumph). The shields suggest these men were prepared to fight hand to hand, in which they probably carried swords too. Alexander certainly used his Cretans in circumstances where they would have found such equipment useful. If shield and sword were standard Cretan equipment, however, making Cretans much better able to look after themselves at close quarters than other Greek archers and slingers, this might explain their popularity (Source: Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars - Duncan Head). Snodgrass notes an inscription from 282 B.C.E. recording the employment of a Cretan archery coach for Athenian archers (Source: Arms and Armor of the Greeks - Anthony Snodgrass) .Young men of Cyrene had the pivilege of being trained by Cretan veterans (which, again, is fairly likely given the proximity of the island); they're just a pale imitation of the original, but they're still a cut above regular archers. They're also armed in the Cretan fashion - with a small, bronze-faced pelte shield and a xiphos or kopis sword; they shouldn't be expected to survive long in melee, however, as the small shield is their only protective equipment and they weren't extensively trained in melee combat.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 




    • SHOCK CAVALRY


    Cyrenaean Royal Squadron (Kyrenoi Ile Basilike)
    [Kleruchoi]

    A whole class of cavalry, the xystophoroi or "lancers", came into being during the Hellenistic period, named after their principal weapon. The cavalry spear in general use throughout the late Classial and Hellenistic periods was called the xyston, or "whittled" spear (Source: Macedonian Armies after Alexander 323-168 BC - Nicholas Sekunda). Armoured and armed with a 3 metre long lance.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    --
    Cyrenaean Cleruch Light Lancers (Kyrenai Kleruchoi Prodromoi)
    [Kleruchoi]

    Nevertheless, it is reasonable to suggest that the term prodromoi could be used for a generic type of cavalry whose function was consonant with its etymology - running or going in advance. This might apply to scouting as well as to leading attack on the right wing. Although perhaps wearing relatively less body armor, they likely carried the same weapons as the cavalry of the line - lances and swords and perhaps even the heavier sarissa, as their alternate name implies (Source: Cavalry Operations in the Ancient Greek World - Robert E. Gaebel). It is possible that the Macedonian heavy cavalry shed some of its armor as time went on, and so even in appereance resembled the prodromoi, who often fought with only helmet, or at most a leather cuirass, for protection (Source: The Oxford Handbook of Warfare in the Classical World - Brian Campbell, Lawrence A. Tritle). Unarmoured and armed with a 4 metre long lance.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 




    • MELEE CAVALRY


    Cyrenaean Spear Cavalry (Kyrenai Lonchophoroi)
    [Politai]

    Greek cavalry adapted shields probably in the 3rd century BC, either after the appereance of Tarentine mercenaries in 317, or after Pyrrhos' Italian campaign 281-275, when he met shielded Tarentine and Roman cavalry and may have brought shields back for his cavalry, and the incursion of the shielded Galatian cavalry into Greece (Source: Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars - Duncan Head). Armed with a short spear and an aspis shield, these cavalrymen are there to lend some staying power to a mounted fight.


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 




    • MISSILE CAVALRY


    Cyrenaean Tarantine Cavalry (Kyrenai Tarantinoi Hippeis)
    [Politai]

    From Tarentum, Pyrrhus also brought back mounted javelin men for use as mobile missile cavalry, perhaps also to compensate for the lack of well-trained heavy Macedonian horsemen no longer available. These swift riders could be used as skirmishers and as a supplement to cavalry who protected the flanks of the phalanx. They could also be employed as an attacking force to strike at the flanks or rear of an enemy phalanx. Adopted by many Hellenistic armies after Pyrrhus, they became universally known as “Tarentines” regardless of their origin. Light cavalry, regardless of origin, were known as Tarentines, if they fought with javelins, or as prodromoi (“those in the advance”) if they employed short lances or spears (Source: The Oxford Handbook of Warfare in the Classical World - Brian Campbell, Lawrence A. Tritle).

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    Last edited by Magas of Cyrene; March 12, 2017 at 04:46 AM.

  19. #59

    Default Re: [IN PROGRESS] Cyrene Expanded

    I've heavily updated the III Part of the Cyrenaean roster.

    Added a new unit - Cyrenaean archers, revised all unit descriptions and added several new pieces of concept art. Companions are now "Royal Squadron" (Thanks KAM .

    As always, any feedback's greatly appreciated!

    And a little bonus - Noblemen names I've been gathering; each with some sort of connection to Cyrene:

    Nobleman names - Greek
    - Arkesilas
    - Battos
    - Ariston
    - Polyarchos
    - Laarchos
    - Nikokrates
    - Leandros
    - Idaeus
    - Eubotas
    - Acusilaus
    - Demophanes
    - Ecdelus
    - Telesicrates
    - Philaenus
    - Aristippus
    - Eratosthenes
    - Callimachus
    - Carneades
    - Agatarchides

    Agent names
    - Pheretime
    - Eryxo
    - Ladike
    - Stratonice
    - Berenice


    Nobleman names – Macedonian


    - Ophellas
    - Demetrius
    - Strattippos
    -




    Nobleman names – Jewish
    - Mosollamos
    - Aristeas
    -Ezekias
    - Demetrius
    - Artapanus
    - Philo
    - Onias
    - Menelaus
    - Alcimus
    - Eleazar
    - Ananias
    - Dositheus
    - Helkias
    - Aristobulus
    - Tubias
    Last edited by Magas of Cyrene; February 14, 2017 at 02:16 PM.

  20. #60
    ♔Greek Strategos♔'s Avatar THE BEARDED MACE
    Artifex Moderator Emeritus

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    Default Re: [IN PROGRESS] Cyrene Expanded

    Cyrene is a very interesting faction to play with.
    You have done a lot of work...

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