15mm Late Achaemenid Persians: Cavalry 1

This is the first unit of Persian cavalry for an army to fight against Alexander the Great. The figures are from Xyston and are based to Impetus so 8cm wide and 6 deep. The hands have been drilled through and they have been given the thinnest piano wire to represent javelins. These are classed as Heavy Cavalry.

15mm Seleucids: 2 units of Thorakitai

Thorakitai were used in armies of the Hellenistic period in a variety of tactical situations. They were a type of armoured but mobile infantry who did not require a rigid formation to be effective in combat. From their name we can deduce that most wore armor and helmet. They bore a thureos, an oval shield, and were armed with sword, javelins and spear, which were used according to their tactical use. It seems that the thorakitai were heavily armored thureophoroi, able to bear spears and do battle in a phalanx as well as engage in irregular warfare in situations when such an action was required for tactical reasons, like to exploit or challenge rough terrain.

15mm Seleucids: 4 units of Argyraspides

Two new units plus the two previously painted.

15mm Seleucids: 2 units of Argyraspides

Silver shield guard units from Xyston. Two more units will be done this week so that will give an elite reserve.

Argyraspids made up the Seleucid army, notably under the reigns of Antiochos III and Antiochos IV. Their presence is attested to the battles of Raphia in 217 BC.and of Magnesia in 190BC.These elite troops, which form the core of the permanent army, were formed by Greco-Macedonian settlers installed in Syria or Anatolia.

These units were the heirs of the royal guard of Alexander the Great but seem equipped like the sarissophores of the phalanx.

15mm Seleucids: 3 units of Thracians

Thracian infantry from 'Forged in Battle' with LBM transfers. I've seen better figures but they are animated. The temple, which I made many years ago, will feature quite a lot as I don't have any other Ancients buildings in this scale. Anyway, it's quite appropriate as the Thracians were famous plunderers.

15mm Seleucids: 4 units of Catephracts.

If my memory serves me (the last time I painted a Seleucud army was in the 1970s) these were the backbone of the cavalry arm. They were armoured from tie to head as were their horses. Their main weapon is again the kontos which I guess they would have used two handed.

Painting wise I have used 2 different bronzes, silver and brass to break up the look of the units. The Romans feared this type of cavalry over a long span of history – from the Seleucids (start 312BC) through the Parthian period to the Sassanids (ends 651AD), this covers the best part of a thousand years.

Xyston figures.

15mm Seleucids: 2 units of Companion Cavalry/Clibanarii

This year I will be painting a very large 15mm Seleucid army to fight, I would imagine, against a similarly large Marian Roman army. Most of the figures are from the fabulous Xyston range.

Here are two units of Companions which were, I think, the elite Seleucid units although I would doubt they were a patch on Alexander's original Companions. The weaponry and style of fighting appears to have changed as well. The kontos remains but it will be one handed as the other has a shield. The horses have become half armoured but that too is obviously the interpretation of the designer.

Bases are from Big Red Bat and more on that another time.