Research Thread: Macedonia
This is research I did a long time back, so its only intended to help the team in order to what they want to add.
Angtioned Makedonia
Introduction
The Macedonians were perhaps the best known military force in the world to have crushed an entire empire under an strong leader, led by Alexander the Great. His death caused the infamous wars of the successors to start, much like the Wars of the Spanish Succession, only it was fought with nations and more armies, whereas this one had most of Alexander's Generals fighting against each other.
In fact, it is the phalanx that came from originally from Macedonia, and the other successor states also copied the old traditions of Alexander's army. The army of the Angtioned Kingdom which ruled Macedonia at this time, was perhaps the only real force from the Hellenistic side to give the Romans some resistance apart from the weak Atoliean Leagues. The Selecuids while having a powerful military, have been noted for their disasters at Magensia and their defeat against the Romans in Greece. Despite all these setbacks, and the further Macedonian defeats in Cynoscephalea, and Pdyna, the Macedonian army was still very capable of defeating if used correctly in the right hands. They were well respected throughout the Hellenistic world, and were well prized as mercenaries by the other Sucessor Kingdoms who wanted to use them more than often.
The Angtioned Kindgom that ruled focused their army on professionalism, which had carried on from the starter of the dynasty, old eyed Angtionius. Macedon at the start of 272 bc, has now become an superpower once again after having defeated the barbarians from the north at 277 bc led by Angtionus Gonatas, grandson of Angtigonus Monopthalmus, the progenitor of the royal line, first offical King of Angtionid Macedonia, because during the Diadochi Wars, as it later progressed to the fourth and final war, Macedon had been written off from the world stage of the Diadochi players, and the Ptolemies and the Selecuids emerged as true superpowers in their might. However by the game's start, Macedon is now an rising and emerging power wanting to reclaim its former glory, and is attempting to evolve its armies in order to combat the emerging Romans who seem to be growing into a threat, as they war with Carthage by around 218 bc.
Gonatas was known as an excellent and well capable general, knowing when to manipulate events into his own hands. After the powerful fleet had deserted over to the Ptolemies, he defeated the Celtic invaders in 277 bc, and had to rely on mercenaries after the devastation that was caused by this invasion. The lands destitue, its population low mongering, the treasury destitute. By allowing mercenaries then encouraged the replenishment of the Macedonian population. The Angtionid fleet was rebuilt, but with a lot of effort and drove the Ptolemies out of the Aegaen with the naval victories at Kos and Andros, 258-248 bc. In the end he left his successors an stable kingdom and an efficent army which hadn't abanonded the principles of the Alexandrian Macedonian army.
The Angtioned Army:
The Macedonian Phalanx was the core of all Macedonian armies. Indeed, since stress was put on finding pure blood, the Macedonians that served were only true full blooded Macedonians. They were famed throughout the Ancient world, being seen as existing remant that was still capable of delivering a good blow to its enemies. Until defeated by the Romans, the Macedonian Phalanxes were seen as the heavy infantry of the Ancient world. They were heartier, larger, more broader, and more well developed than the average Greek. While the Successors had their own '' Macedonians'' they were descendants of Greek-Macedonian-Thracians that had served in Alexander's army. That is why Macedonians phalanxes were recruited by Sucessor Kingdoms to serve within the army.
The phalanxes if used correctly, were more than an force to deal with their enemies. Consisting of an wall of pikes, it was considered to be an truly terrifying experience if you ever were to see it. In this way the Macedonians used this wall of pikes for three reasons:
Livy writes of Aemelius Paulus, the Roman general who defeated the Macedonians at Pydna:
“Aemilius the consul, who had never seen a phalanx until this occasion in the war with Perseus, often confessed afterwards to certain persons in Rome that he had never seen anything more terrible and dreadful than a Macedonian phalanx, and this although he had witnessed and directed as many battles as any man.”
1) Firstly, to create an wall of pikes to intimidate the enemy
2) Secondly, to be used as offensive units, supported by flanking missile units
3) To be the main heavy hammer of the army.
They may not be good reasons, but from my reckoning, it was certain the phalanx was supposed to be defensive, yet offensive in the heat of battle. That was why it would be supported by cavarly units and units such as Throkitai and Theuropoi in order to make sure they weren't flanked, and were used due to the Romans who tended to fling their javelins before, and create disruption in the phalanxes. Under Phillip V, the phalanx was the core main component of the army, about 62%, under Persues, 49%, but it was still an high proportion.
After Cynoscephalea in 197bc, the Angtionid King Phillip V proclaimed many reforms over the course of several eyars, ( 196 b.c to his death in 197 b.c). Non Macedonian s were soon introduced into the ranks of the phalanxes in order to bolster to their ranks after the massacre of Macedonians that had died under the hands of the Romans. Most known were Thracians, Illyrians, Arganins and so on. This would give the strength for Perseus to he needed to fight the Romans at Pdyna.
The cavalry too was deliberately grown, as Philip V encouraged the deliberate policies of raising the population levels and could raise 3000 horse from the Macedonian homeland. Many Thracians/Illyrians served in the cavalry force of Macedonia. Thessalians, and auxiliary cavalry also served as well. Note, that they did not have as much impact as Diadochi cavarly did as they were neglected quite a lot. We can say that they regressed, but having these units at your disposal should attempt to create an balanced force in the Macedonian Cavarly roster since they had quite a lot of foreigners serving in their ranks. Instead, they are to be only used in the right circumstances. The missile cavalry, consisting of Prodomoi and Skirmishers however, will be more effective in battle.
Extra info I found on other threads:
The image of the Sarissophoroi is drawn from a lost tomb painting of about 300 BC. The best reconstruction is in Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars by Duncan Head, the image reconstruction clearly shows a xyston rather than a sarissa and there is an interesting reference to a rhetorician (Didymos) who has a story about a Thracian and Philip II (the whole Prodromos entry is on p.104-105, AMPW).
Sorry florin80, reference to Macedonian javelin horse - missed your request!
Here's references, the only surviving image of a late Macedonian (Antigonid) heavy cavalryman is from the Aemillius Paulus monument (can find images on Google).A general entry on late Antigonid heavy cavalry is in AMPW, p.116, and the literary references from livyhttp://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/txt/ah/Livy/Livy31.html, 31.24 (2nd para) to Philip V fighting from horseback with javelins outside Athens. Another passage in Livy describes the Roman horse meeting the Macedonian and surprising them by charging, rather than skirmishing (presumably with javelins) 31.35.
Kallinikos skirmish, http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/txt/ah/Livy/Livy42.html 42.58-9. The implication of the description is that the Macedonian cavalry were not primarily skirmishers but capable of charging as well.
The Kazanluk tomb paintings of Thracian warriors are early third century, approx. after Pyrrus' return from Italy. This would argue for a adoption by Thracians of shields for mounted combat. (http://books.google.com/books?id=5FH...um=1&ct=result, also have a pdf of this)
AMPW, p.116, the entry of Hellenistic Greek shielded heavy cavalry. The reconstruction is based on two reliefs from Thespiai in Boiotia, which for much of our period was an ally of Macedonia. If the Greeks were fighting with shielded, javelin cavalry, then it is possible that the Macedonians were.
Pyrrhus when killed at Argos in 272 was fighting on horseback with a bronze shield - source from Pausanias who records that the Argives kept it as a trophy. http://www.piney.com/ClassPausanIICorinth.html, 2.21.4.
Furthermore, speaking of interpretations, we can interpret that the Macedonian cavalry of the Second and Third Macedonian wars did not behave as other Diadochi heavy cavalry did, they are not described as taking a leading role in the battles, the phalanx being the decisive instrument, unlike in Alexander's time or that of the Diadochi.
It remains possible that the bodyguard cavalry retained the xyston but I think that the passage of Philip V before Athens and the lesser role in the battles would indicate the Macedonian horse being shielded and wielding javelins.In battles against Roman and Italian cavalry, late Antigonid heavy cavalry seem to have had less impact than the Seleucid cavalry had, where at Magnesia, Antiochos swept the Roman horse from the field using companion cavalry still armed with the xyston. The new kataphractoi were also used in this charge but some were also used to ride down Roman infantry (AMPW, p49). This does not fit the pattern of Antigonid battles where the cavalry ride down light infantry but chiefly engage the enemy horse.
P.116, Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars.
(Quote)
46. Antigonid Macedonian Heavy Cavalryman
This figure is from the Aemilius Paullus monumnet, which clearly shows that Macedonian cavalry, like the last figure [Greek heavy cavalryman, same page] had adopted large round shields. These have a central rib like thethureos indicating Celtic or Italian origin, but no metal boss or rim is indicated, and unlike the thureos this shield is carried with the rib horizontal. Unlike Macedonian infantry, no pattern is visible on the shield face. Although Peter Connolly says ths shield "is certaintly neither Roman or Greek" it was in fact used by both, whatever its origin. It occurs on Roman coinage (see figure 140) and as for the Greeks it is carried by a cavalry officer in typical Hellenistic short plate cuirass and knotted sash on a relief from near Dashklion, on the borders of Bithynia and Phrygia. The cavalry on the Aemilius Paullus monument carrying these shields cannot be Celts, as Connelly suggests, as we know enough about the orders of battle to be fairly certain that no Celtic cavalry were present, on either side. In addition, the clearest surviving cavalryman has a Macedonian style helmet, with low comb and cheekpieces, very like the silvered iron example from Epeiros, discussed under figure 34, depicted here. One rider shown without his shield has the usual cloak and short muscled cuirass.
Macedonian cavalry seem to have discarded the long xyston and reverted to javelins, since Livy describes their consternation when charged by Roman cavalry; the Macedonians had automatically assumed cavalry would skirmish. He also mentions Philip V himself fighting outside with missiles from horseback, outside Athens. The change may have come about because using long xyston and large shield together was asking oo much of cavalry without saddle or stirrups. The reduced shock power would have been acceptable because of the declining role of cavalry. Pyrrhos, who as noted may have been responsible for introducing cavalry shields to Greece, seems according to Dionysios of Hailkarnassos ti have had his guards armed with xyston in Italy but after his return was using a bronze shield on horseback in his last battle at Argos (Pausanias records that the Argives kept it as a trophy), so may have addopted javelins and shield for himself and his guards.
(end Quote)
Thinking about likely balances, if one combines the quote from Livy about the Macedonians being shocked at the wounds inflicted by the gladius (book 32, I think) with his remark about their being used to spear or javelin wounds, we might surmise that the Macedonian and perhaps Thessalian horse both fought with spear and javelin. This remains a supposition and it is equally possible that the Macedonians fought with javelin and sword.
The source for the Thessalians fighting with javelins is Diodorus describing Thessalians in 368, while coins also show thrusting spears. These describe the Thessalians before the adoption of shields; after the adoption of shields, I see no reason why they would not continue with both.
Greek heavy cavalry before Alexander used javelins and swords and Polybios regarded large round shields has standard Greek cavalry equipment in the 2nd Century BC.
The big problem, as you acknowledge, is the paucity of sources for the early and mid 3rd Century. We have the barest descriptions of the reigns of the kings, Demetrios II being a near blank. We know when he was born, a couple of his acts as King and then when he was killed. We don't even have numbers on the army!
I think the lack of sources is why Osprey have avoided the subject and as is apparent here, there are still a lot of controversies about interpretations of evidence.
Units Descriptions, this is not all of the unit description, they're just my attempt at describing the more well known units.
How normal phalanxes should look like:
This is how real elite units such as Pezahtoriai, white Sheilds and Bronze shields should look like, plenty of colourful helmets, colourful swords, and colourful spears.
The Chalksipiedes - this unit was known to be comprised of many young men that had served in the Petalsts, an elite infantry regiment within the Angtioned army. They made up the main body of the Macedonian Army. They were known to be used as an active reserve and carried bronze shields with them. Polybius (2.65.2) mentions that the Macedonian infantry at Sellasia numbered 10,000 phalangites and 3,000 peltastai. At Kynoskephalai, Livy (33.4.4) states that the phalanx numbered 16,000, ‘the enduring strength of all the men of the kingdom’, and the peltastai 2,000. Their shields was a strong bronze shield backed with wood. It was heavier but also gave an extra protection. This was the case for the armor, a full bronze cuirass or a hardened linen one with interlapped scales. The helmet was generally the Thracian one, giving a perfect covering of the face with its huge cheeks. Some variants were full thracian masks-helmets. They were given a longer sarissa, bronze or even iron greaves, and in fact, were though, experienced, hardened phalangists in any way, capable to afford and effectively use such equipment, a combination which made them deadly and impressive on the battlefield.
The Leukaspides - they only appear in major battles of the Angtioned Kingdom, and are seen to be made as '' veterans on the battlefield.'' There is however an another theory that there were young white shields, more like levy phalanxes. But for now, we shall go with the main core of this veteran unit. Nikolas Sekunda distorts this and refers them more to units of Theuropoi- so its historical evidence is shady, but I would leave it at that and just on my own opinion, really have them as an veteran unit maybe as an phalanx and or theuropoi unit. I would still go for the phalanx unit in my description, despite being shady, eh its better this way. They would have as well full thracian masks-helmets.
The Pezheatarioi - these units were the backbone of the armies of Macedonia and its Successor Kingdoms. They were foot companions in the sense. Macedonian Phalanxes were full of these Pezheatarioi and were capable of defeating enemy cavarly and infantry. They were to be used as an defensive line rather than offensive. They were armed with thesarissa, a long spear with a shaft made from flexible cornel wood, which had a much longer reach than the traditional hoplite spear. Because of its length the phalanx could present the spearpoints of around five files of men; which made the phalanx almost impenetrable, and fearsome to oppose. They would have full thracian mask helmets in covering most of the phalanxes. And golden thracian mask helmets at that too.
Peltastai - An elite infantry regiment consisting of young men. They were equipped in the same way Phillip the II had done with his phalanx. Plutarch (Aem. 19.1) mentions the peltasts bringing down the peltai they carried from their shoulders and putting their sarisai in place. Asclepiodotus (Tact.1.2) says that thepeltastai used a much shorter spear than the hoplites of the phalanx, and Aelian (Tact. 12) stipulates that the sarisa ought to be no shorter than 8 cubits (12 feet). We can say their sarrisa were none than 8 feet short. They were able to fight in phalanx formation on occasion, their equiqment was lighter than the Phalangeites, their smaller bronze shields made them more, ‘for special action, particularly in conjunction with light troops and mercenaries’ (Walbank (1940) 292–3 with references).
Agema - Elite unit in the King's army, ‘the picked men, the purest of the Macedonians on account of their virtue and age, gleaming with gilded weapons and newly-dyed crimson tunics’. They consist of senior men and veterans, and are an dangerous force to be reckoned with.
Hypsastis - Taken from wikpedia in this instance, as I am a little unsure of what their role. Some depict them as phalanxes and some don't. They were used as elite regiments for Succesor kings and Macedonians as well.
This unit, known as the Hypaspistai, or hypaspists, was probably armed like hoplites[5] rather than asphalangites (pikemen) in Philip's Macedonian army. In battle, they were probably armed with the Greek aspisshield, spolas or linothorax body-armor, Hoplite's helmet, greaves, dory spear and a xiphos or kopis sword (though their equipment was likely more ornate than main-line soldiers). In set piece battles, the Macedonian Hypaspists were positioned on the flanks of the phalangite's phalanx; in turn, their own flanks were protected by light infantry and cavalry. Their job was guard the flanks of the large and unwieldy pike phalanx, an armored soldier with an 18–22 ft. pike, the sarissa. The Phalangites were not particularly agile or able to turn quickly, so hypaspists would prevent attacks on the vulnerable sides of the formation. Their role was vital to the success of Philip'stactics because the Macedonian Phalanx was all but invulnerable from the front, and was, with five layers of iron spikes moving in unison, used as the anvil in a hammer and anvil tactic, where the Companion cavalry was the hammer that smashed the enemy against an anvil of thousands of iron spikes. As such an important yet vulnerable part of the Macedonian Army, it needed protection for its main vulnerability, the flanks. The protection/remedy for this vulnerability was the Hypaspists, who were able to conduct maneuvers and use tactics, which, owing to their hoplite panoply of weapons and armor, would have been impossible (or at least much less effective) if performed by the Phalangites.
It is worth noting that all the references to a unit called "Hypaspists" are much later than the period of Philip, and modern historians have to assume that later sources, like Diodorus Siculus[6] (1st century BC) and Arrian,[7] had access to earlier records.
Arrian's phrase tous kouphotatous te kai ama euoplotatous [8]) has frequently been rendered as 'lightest armed', although Brunt [9]concedes it is more properly translated as 'nimblest' or 'most agile'.
There has been a great deal of speculation by military historians ever since the late Hellenistic period about the elite units of Philip's army. The hypaspists may have been raised from the whole kingdom rather than on a cantonal basis; if so, they were the King's Army rather than the army of the kingdom.
In the Hellenistic period, hypaspists apparently continued to exist, albeit in different capacities and under different names. The name lived on in the Seleucid, Ptolemaicand Antigonid kingdoms, yet they were now seen as royal bodyguards and military administrators. Polybius mentions a hypaspist being sent by Philip V of Macedon, after his defeat at the Battle of Cynoscephalae in 197 BC, to Larisato burn state papers.[10]
The actual fighting unit of hypaspists seems to have lived on in Macedonia as the corps of 'Peltasts', whose status, equipment and role seems to have been almost exactly the same as that of the hypaspist under Philip.[11] Originally consisting of 3,000 men, by the Third Macedonian War there were 5,000, most likely to accommodate their elite formation, the Agema.[12]
One thing I will note: I would like to see more full thracian mask helmets, golden on all phalanx units!
Angtioned Roster
Calvary:
Thessalian Calvary
Illyrian cavalry
Compainian Calvary - elite of Macedonian Cavarly, or known as Hetorai cavarly
Prodomoi Cavalry
Xystophoroi cavarly
Loncophoroi - instead of spear, wears large shield and short sword
sarissophoroi - served in the 3rd Macedonian War, had lances and javelins
Thracian, Agema, Companion and Thessalian cavalry can fight in wedge.
Phalanxes:
White Shields
Bronze Sheilds
Phalangites
Foot Companions
Free Phalaxnes - consists of Thracian/Illyrians and various other people granted full Macedonian citizenship after 197 bc.
Light infantry:
Archers
Slingers
Javleinemen
Thracian Missile units ( see below)
Cretan Archers
Toxoti Archers
Swordsmen:
Agema
Hypastists
Throkiati
Theruopoi
Thracian elite infantry
Elite Hypaspists - upgraded version of the Hypastists, a bit like an Marines US unit.
Mercenaries:
Agrianians skimishers
Illyrian Infantry
Thracian Rhompoi
Enslaved Barbarabins
Painoan cavarly
Bastarnae warriors
Bastarnae foot
Illyrian Peltasts
Artillery:
Ballsati
Catapults
Kestrosphendone - dart sling described by Livy (42.65.9–10) and Polybius (27.11), came into use for the first time in 171.
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Originally Posted by zombieflanders
