- Joined
- Feb 2, 2011
- Messages
- 2,179
NEW RELEASES FOR APRIL 2025
THE ANCIENTS
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF GREECE AND MACEDONIA
THE ACHAEMENID PERSIAN ARMY
KARDAKE INFANTRY
Kardakes translated means “foreign mercenaries”
The Kardakes are a part of the Persian army that also appears towards the later empire, it is uncertain what they really were. Some say that they were mercenaries, others that they were influenced by the
Greek Hoplites and that we should assume that they were a Persian attempt to reform the army in a Greek way.
The Kardakes are described by historians as "Hoplites", Slingers and "Peltasts". This may illustrate that Kardakes most likely were not a specific troop type, like a heavy infantryman or a skirmisher but rather a specific group which supplied several kinds of soldiers.
This means that the Kardakes would have been equipped differently. At the battle of Issus Arrian calls them Hoplites, and Kallisthenes as Peltasts.
KARDAKE LIGHT INFANTRY
There has always been some debate over the armament and how the Kardakes were employed as a fighting force. As previously mentioned several historians have described them as peltasts.
Modern scholars seem to deduce from this that there was an attempt to produce a native Persian close fighting infantry to support the mercenary Greek hoplite, and Kardakes Hoplites, against the Macedonian phalanx.
AP-24A
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ANCIENT GREECE AND MACEDONIA,
THE ACHAEMENID PERSIAN ARMY,
KARDAKE LIGHT INFANTRY
Xenophon describes the Kardakes as carrying two javelins, and using a Kopis or a Sagaris ( the bronze pick-like Saka battleaxe, which was adopted by the Persians) and a wicker shield. It is also confirmed that many would also have used bows.
The Alexander sarcophagus shows Persian infantry not only carrying Hoplite shields, but many with crescent shaped shields similar to the Greek peltai.
AP-24B
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ANCIENT GREECE AND MACEDONIA,
THE ACHAEMENID PERSIAN ARMY,
KARDAKE LIGHT INFANTRY
AP-24AN
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ANCIENT GREECE AND MACEDONIA,
THE ACHAEMENID PERSIAN ARMY,
KARDAKE LIGHT INFANTRY
AP-24BN
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ANCIENT GREECE AND MACEDONIA,
THE ACHAEMENID PERSIAN ARMY,
KARDAKE LIGHT INFANTRY
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ANCIENT ROME
THE CARTHAGINIANS
CELTIBERIAN SCUTARIUS
Although initially the Carthaginian army was composed only of Citizens of Phoenician origin, it saw increased recruitment of contingents of mercenaries and allies a necessity in order to realize the policy of imperial expansion.
This use of mercenaries saved the metropolitan population from heavy casualties that were not easily replaceable, and it also reflected the Carthaginian concept of war, which was considered simply as an extension of business.
With the enlargement of Punic economic interests the army became more exclusively mercenary and progressively came to include almost all the peoples of the central and western Mediterranean area.
The success of Carthage in bringing most of central and southern Iberia under its control was a crucial element in their continued ability to pursue the war against Rome.
Iberian troops probably fell into two rough classifications, the Scutarii and the Caetratii.
These types basically defined the type of shield, with the Scutum being a large flat oval shield with a wooden spine and metal boss.
The Caetra was a flat, smaller round shield with a circular metal boss.
Both troop types were armed with a dagger and sword, as well as spears for hand to hand fighting and for throwing.
CTIB-05A
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ANCIENT ROME,
THE CARTHAGINIANS,
CELTIBARIAN SCUTARII
CTIB-05B
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ANCIENT ROME,
THE CARTHAGINIANS,
CELTIBARIAN SCUTARII
The Scutarius were well armoured heavy infantry, and the Celtibarians were mainly from the north, and were heavily influenced by their Gallic neighbours. Those who fought with Hannibal would have been mercenaries, and in organization and military effectiveness would have been much the same as the Gauls. They were known to be fierce, independent and dangerous.
CTIB-05N
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ANCIENT ROME,
THE CARTHAGINIANS,
CELTIBARIAN SCUTARIUS
THE ANCIENTS
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF GREECE AND MACEDONIA
THE ACHAEMENID PERSIAN ARMY
KARDAKE INFANTRY
Kardakes translated means “foreign mercenaries”
The Kardakes are a part of the Persian army that also appears towards the later empire, it is uncertain what they really were. Some say that they were mercenaries, others that they were influenced by the
Greek Hoplites and that we should assume that they were a Persian attempt to reform the army in a Greek way.
The Kardakes are described by historians as "Hoplites", Slingers and "Peltasts". This may illustrate that Kardakes most likely were not a specific troop type, like a heavy infantryman or a skirmisher but rather a specific group which supplied several kinds of soldiers.
This means that the Kardakes would have been equipped differently. At the battle of Issus Arrian calls them Hoplites, and Kallisthenes as Peltasts.
KARDAKE LIGHT INFANTRY
There has always been some debate over the armament and how the Kardakes were employed as a fighting force. As previously mentioned several historians have described them as peltasts.
Modern scholars seem to deduce from this that there was an attempt to produce a native Persian close fighting infantry to support the mercenary Greek hoplite, and Kardakes Hoplites, against the Macedonian phalanx.
AP-24A
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ANCIENT GREECE AND MACEDONIA,
THE ACHAEMENID PERSIAN ARMY,
KARDAKE LIGHT INFANTRY
Xenophon describes the Kardakes as carrying two javelins, and using a Kopis or a Sagaris ( the bronze pick-like Saka battleaxe, which was adopted by the Persians) and a wicker shield. It is also confirmed that many would also have used bows.
The Alexander sarcophagus shows Persian infantry not only carrying Hoplite shields, but many with crescent shaped shields similar to the Greek peltai.
AP-24B
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ANCIENT GREECE AND MACEDONIA,
THE ACHAEMENID PERSIAN ARMY,
KARDAKE LIGHT INFANTRY
AP-24AN
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ANCIENT GREECE AND MACEDONIA,
THE ACHAEMENID PERSIAN ARMY,
KARDAKE LIGHT INFANTRY
AP-24BN
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ANCIENT GREECE AND MACEDONIA,
THE ACHAEMENID PERSIAN ARMY,
KARDAKE LIGHT INFANTRY
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ANCIENT ROME
THE CARTHAGINIANS
CELTIBERIAN SCUTARIUS
Although initially the Carthaginian army was composed only of Citizens of Phoenician origin, it saw increased recruitment of contingents of mercenaries and allies a necessity in order to realize the policy of imperial expansion.
This use of mercenaries saved the metropolitan population from heavy casualties that were not easily replaceable, and it also reflected the Carthaginian concept of war, which was considered simply as an extension of business.
With the enlargement of Punic economic interests the army became more exclusively mercenary and progressively came to include almost all the peoples of the central and western Mediterranean area.
The success of Carthage in bringing most of central and southern Iberia under its control was a crucial element in their continued ability to pursue the war against Rome.
Iberian troops probably fell into two rough classifications, the Scutarii and the Caetratii.
These types basically defined the type of shield, with the Scutum being a large flat oval shield with a wooden spine and metal boss.
The Caetra was a flat, smaller round shield with a circular metal boss.
Both troop types were armed with a dagger and sword, as well as spears for hand to hand fighting and for throwing.
CTIB-05A
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ANCIENT ROME,
THE CARTHAGINIANS,
CELTIBARIAN SCUTARII
CTIB-05B
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ANCIENT ROME,
THE CARTHAGINIANS,
CELTIBARIAN SCUTARII
The Scutarius were well armoured heavy infantry, and the Celtibarians were mainly from the north, and were heavily influenced by their Gallic neighbours. Those who fought with Hannibal would have been mercenaries, and in organization and military effectiveness would have been much the same as the Gauls. They were known to be fierce, independent and dangerous.
CTIB-05N
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ANCIENT ROME,
THE CARTHAGINIANS,
CELTIBARIAN SCUTARIUS
