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Thread: Evidence for Hetairoi Kataphraktoi (Baktrian Late Bodyguard)?

  1. #1

    Default Evidence for Hetairoi Kataphraktoi (Baktrian Late Bodyguard)?

    Hey EB players,

    I'm a big fan of the Hetairoi Kataphraktoi unit and Greco-Bactrian kingdom in general, and so I was wondering from what historical evidence the EB team based this awesome bodyguard unit off?
    I know the early bodyguard (guys with leaves on their backs) appear on some of the numismatic evidence for example:
    (https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?p=lot&sid=324&lot=25046)

    Any comments appreciated!

    -KA

  2. #2

    Default Re: Evidence for Hetairoi Kataphraktoi (Baktrian Late Bodyguard)?

    Quote Originally Posted by King Agis View Post
    Hey EB players,

    I'm a big fan of the Hetairoi Kataphraktoi unit and Greco-Bactrian kingdom in general, and so I was wondering from what historical evidence the EB team based this awesome bodyguard unit off?
    I know the early bodyguard (guys with leaves on their backs) appear on some of the numismatic evidence for example:
    (https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?p=lot&sid=324&lot=25046)

    Any comments appreciated!

    -KA
    Some years ago the Kataphracts were brought up in a discussion thread and apparently it was said (not by a team member, just a player) that the team got their inspiration from some Baktrian wall carving in Afghanistan that depicted these Kataphracts. Access to the carving has been hard because of the war and its something that hasn't been digitally documented so it's highly unlikely you'll be able to find a picture online. Perhaps you can ask some of the team members on EBII to see if anyone from the original team is still working there or look through their bibliography on EBII.
    Last edited by Basileus of Byzantium; February 07, 2019 at 05:28 PM. Reason: Incorrect information

  3. #3

    Default Re: Evidence for Hetairoi Kataphraktoi (Baktrian Late Bodyguard)?

    In this thread the matter is discussed by two team members:

    abou says "Hetairoi Kataphraktoi come directly from the main source - a relief from Afghanistan. On it are three very heavily armored riders with masks: a Zeus type and two "big cat" types."
    A few posts later, paullus says "the hetairoi kataphraktoi mask is one of 3 masks depicted on a trio of cavalrymen from a relief found in Afghanistan during the current war. Its not published, but one of our historians has seen it in a museum archive."

    However, in this other thread abou comes back to the topic 6 years later. Originally the discussion was about whether the TAB would be in EB2 or not, and he said "Honestly, I don't know what we're going to do with the Thorakitai Agematos Basilikou in EB2. The member who had access to the find left the team long ago and so we lost track of the info. It's really up in the air with what we'll do." Then, after being asked about the Hetairoi Kataphraktoi, he said "Unfortunately, it's the same guy. If it makes you feel better, face masks and heavily armored cavalry aren't impossible either -- it just might not look like they once did. "

    No pictures unfortunately, even if some users claim to have seen some (I do not - I read 3/4 of the EB threads on the Org throughout the years, and I think something like this wouldn't have been unnoticed). However, abou (who is the resident Seleukid expert of the team) doesn't completely discard the idea.

  4. #4

    Default Re: Evidence for Hetairoi Kataphraktoi (Baktrian Late Bodyguard)?

    Thank you both, this clears things up a bit!

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