The Seleucid Army of Antiochus the Great: Weapons, Armour and Tactics

by Jean Charl Du Plessis

Overview

The Seleucid Empire was a superpower of the Hellenistic Age, the largest and most powerful of the Successor States, and it’s army was central to the maintenance of that power. Antiochus III campaigned, generally successfully, from the Mediterranean to India, earning the sobriquet 'the Great'.

Jean Charl Du Plessis has produced the most in depth study available in English devoted to the troop types, weapons and armor of Antiochus’ army. He combines the most recent historical research and latest archaeological evidence with a strong element of reconstructive archaeology, that is the making and using of replica equipment.

Sections cover the regular, Hellenistic-style core of the army, the auxiliaries from across the Empire and mercenaries, as well as the terror weapons of elephants and scythed chariots. Weapons and armor considered in great detail, including, for example, useful data on the performance of slings and the wounds they could inflict, drawing on modern testing and the author’s own experience.

The army’s performance in its many battles, sieges and campaigns is analyzed and assessed.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781399091794
Publisher:	Pen and Sword
Publication date:	04/13/2022
Pages:	360
Sales rank:	859,481
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x (d)

About the Author

Dr Jean du Plessis recently completed his doctorate in ancient history and was recommended to publish his thesis (this book). As well as traditiomal academic research, Jean puts great value upon practical research and ‘experimental archaeology’. He practises traditional slinging and archery, and was placed second in the South African National Traditional Archery Championships in 2008. He is also an avid Historical European Martial Artist (HEMA) and was placed 1st in the 2007 and 2008 National Championships in both sword-and-shield and longsword.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements x

Foreword xi

Introduction xiii

Part I The Regular Army 1

Chapter 1 The Regular Infantry 3

1.1 The 'Macedonian' Phalanx and its Sarissophoroi 3

1.1.1 The Sarissa 5

1.1.2 The Pelite 16

1.1.3 Armour 20

1.1.4 Makhaira 27

1.1.5 The Phalanx at War 30

1.2 The Argyraspides (Silver-Shields) 48

1.2.1 Arms and Armour of the Argyraspides 50

1.2.2 The Argyraspides at War 52

1.3 Conclusion on the Regular Infantry 53

Chapter 2 The Synaspismos and its Possibility in the Macedonian-Styled Phalanx 55

2.1 Synaspismos Formation 56

2.1.1 The Synaspismos in Literary Sources 56

2.1.2 The Modern Opposition to the Synaspismos 57

2.1.3 The Problems of the Synaspismos Formation 57

2.2 The Elevation of the Sarissa 59

2.3 Experimental Archaeology in support of the Synaspismos and the High Guard 65

2.4 Conclusion 70

Chapter 3 The Regular Cavalry 71

3.1 The Guard Cavalry 71

3.1.1 The Arms and Armour 73

3.1.2 The hetairoi and agema at War 87

3.2 Citizen Cavalry 99

3.2.1 Xystophoroi and Lonchophoroi 100

3.2.2 Cataphract Reforms 103

3.3 Conclusion 111

Part II The Auxiliary Forces at Raphia 113

Chapter 4 The Auxiliary Forces at Raphia 115

The Seleucid Right Wing 116

4.1 Cretan Mercenaries 116

4.1.1 Arms and Armour 118

4.1.2 The Cretans at War 123

4.2 The Mercenaries from Greece 127

4.2.1 Arms and Armour 127

4.2.2 The Thureophoroi at War 132

4.3 Daae, Carmanians, and Cilicians 133

4.3.1 Arms and Armour 135

The Seleucid Left Wing 137

4.4 Cardacian and Lydian Akontistai 137

4.4.1 Arms and Armour 137

4.5 Persians, Agrianians and Thracians 138

4.5.1 Arms and Armour 140

4.6 Medes, Cissians, Cadusians, and Carmanians 141

4.6.1 Arms and Armour 143

4.7 The Arabs 144

4.7.1 Arms and Armour 145

4.7.2 The Arabs at War 146

4.8 The Auxiliary Troops at War 147

Chapter 5 The Auxiliary Forces at Magnesia 148

The Seleucid Right Wing 149

5.1 The Galatian Infantry 149

5.1.1 Galatian Arms and Armour 151

5.1.2 Galatians at War 156

5.2 Daae Horse Archers 161

5.2.1 Arms and Armour 161

5.2.2 Daae at War 162

5.3 Tralles 164

5.3.1 Arms and Armour 165

5.3.2 Tralles at War 165

5.4 Mysian Archers 166

5.4.1 Arms and Armour 167

5.4.2 Mysians at War 167

5.5 Cyrtians and Elymaeans 167

5.5.1 Arms and Armour 168

5.5.2 Cyrtians and Elymaeans at War 170

The Seleucid Left Wing 170

5.6 Cappadocians 170

5.6.1 Arms and Armour 171

5.6.2 Cappadocians at War 171

5.7 Mixed Auxiliaries 171

5.8 Arabian Camel Archers 172

5.8.1 Arms and Armour 172

5.8.2 Arabian Camel Riders at War 173

5.9 Gallo-Graecian Horsemen 173

5.9.1 Arms and Armour 173

5.9.2 Galatians Horsemen at War 174

5.10 Carians and Cilicians 175

5.10.1 Arms and Armour 175

5.10.2 Carians and Cilicians at War 176

5.11 Caetrati - Pisidians, Pamphylians and Lycians 176

5.11.1 Arms and Armour 177

5.11.2 Caetrati at War 178

5.12 Conclusion 178

Chapter 6 The Increased Abilities of the Akontistai with the Akontion Javelin, through the use of the Ankyle Throwing Strap 183

6.1 The Ankyle / Amentum 184

6.1.1 The Ankyle / Amentum in War 184

6.2 Experimental Archaeology 187

6.2.1 Method 187

6.3 Conclusion 193

Chapter 7 Trauma Wounds and Damage Potential from Ancient Slingshot 194

7.1 Slings and Slingshot 195

7.2 The Sling in War 197

7.3 Experimental Archaeology 200

7.3.1 Materials and Methods 200

7.3.2 Calculating the Severity of the Injury though Blunt Criterion (BC) and Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) 203

7.3.3 Anatomical Study of impact of sling projectiles upon Porcine Head and Soft Tissue 208

7.3.4 Projectile Impact upon Armour 211

7.4 Conclusion 213

Part III Terror Weapons 215

Chapter 8 Elephants and Scythed Chariots 217

8.1 Elephants 217

8.1.1 Arms and Armour 218

8.1.2 Elephants at War 222

8.2 Scythed Chariots 228

8.2.1 Arms and Armour 229

8.2.2 Chariots at War 230

8.3 Conclusion on the Terror Weapons 234

Part IV Battle Assessment 237

Chapter 9 Battle Case Studies 239

9.1 The Battle against Molon 239

9.2 The Battle of Raphia 241

9.3 The Battle of Mount Labus 248

9.4 The Battle of Arius River 251

9.5 The Battle of Panion 253

9.6 The Battle of Thermopylae 257

9.7 The Battle of Magnesia 262

9.8 Conclusion 269

Chapter 10 Assessment of Antiochus' Armies 272

Chapter 11 Conclusion 284

Notes 289

Bibliography 322

Index 335

Editorial Reviews

This excellent examination of the Seleucid army reads well for an expanded PhD thesis—a rare feat. Troop type by troop type, from light slingers to heavy infantry phalanx to elephants, you get an extensive education as promised in the subtitle.

Historical Miniatures Gaming Society