New Releases for June 2023 - The Ancients (1 Viewer)

[Julie]

NEW RELEASES FOR JUNE 2023
THE ANCIENTS COLLECTION
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF GREECE AND MACEDONIA
THE ACHAEMENID PERSIAN EMPIRE 550-330BC

The Achaemenid Empire c. 550–330 BC, also called the First Persian Empire, was an ancient Iranian empire based in Western Asia founded by Cyrus the Great. Ranging at its greatest extent from the Balkans in the west to the Indus Valley in the east, it was larger than any previous empire in history, spanning 5.5 (or 8) million square kilometers. Incorporating various peoples of different origins and faiths, it is notable for its successful model of a centralised, bureaucratic administration (through satraps under the King of Kings), for building infrastructure such as road systems and a postal system, the use of an official language across its territories, and the development of civil services and a large professional army. The empire's successes inspired similar systems in later empires
Achaemenid military units were organized decimally, in tens, hundreds and thousands. This was a simple form of military organization and one quite popular among early armies.
The basic unit of Persian infantry is believed to be of ten men. The first man is a shield-bearer (Spara) with a short spear, and would rest his large whicker shield on the ground to protect the rows of archers behind him.

The Sparabara, meaning “shield bearers” in old Persian, were the front line infantry of the Achaemenid Persian Empire. They were usually the first to engage in hand to hand combat with the enemy. Although not much is known about them today, it is believed that they were the backbone of the Persian army who formed a shield wall and used their two metre long spears to protect more vulnerable troops such as archers from the enemy. The term is also used to refer to the combination of these shield bearers and the archers that were protected by them

The use of shielded spearmen protecting ranks of archers was nothing new, and such units had been the mainstay of Assyrian and Babylonian armies for centuries. The Persian formation was a modification of this arrangement; nine rows of archers would be protected by one row of shield-bearers.

AP-10A
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ANCIENT GREECE
AND MACEDONIA,
THE ACHAEMENID PERSIAN EMPIRE,
PERSIAN SPARABARA ARCHERS.
(2 pcs)

These spearmen were often armoured with a quilted linen cuirass, and carried large rectangular wicker shields as a form of light manoeuvrable defence.
This however may have left them at a disadvantage against often heavier armoured opponents such as the hoplite, and the two metre long spear was not able to give the sparabara ample range to engage a trained phalanx with their longer 1.8-2.7 m dory.
The wicker shields may have also been not as effective as thicker wooden shields in prolonged melee combat. The Sparabara could deal with most other infantry, including trained units from the territories around the Persian empire.
The sparabara were supposed to be used in conjunction with Persian cavalry and chariots, which would attack from the flanks and rear.
The Battle of Marathon was an example where the cavalry failed to be deployed, which had catastrophic results.

AP-10B
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ANCIENT GREECE
AND MACEDONIA,
THE ACHAEMENID PERSIAN EMPIRE,
PERSIAN SPARABARA ARCHERS.
(2 pcs)

AP-10AN
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ANCIENT GREECE
AND MACEDONIA,
THE ACHAEMENID PERSIAN EMPIRE,
4 PERSIAN SPARABARA ARCHERS.
(4 pcs)



AP-10BN
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ANCIENT GREECE
AND MACEDONIA,
THE ACHAEMENID PERSIAN EMPIRE,
4 PERSIAN SPARABARA ARCHERS.
(4 pcs)

 

[Julie]

THE MACEDONIAN PHALANX

The Macedonian phalanx was an infantry formation developed by Philip II and used by his son Alexander the Great to conquer the Achaemenid Empire and defeat armies of other kingdoms.
Phalanxes remained dominant on battlefields throughout the Hellenistic period, until they were ultimately displaced by the Roman Legions.

In 359 BC the Macedonian army led by the king Perdiccas III, was decidedly defeated by the Illyrians. Perdiccas’ brother Philip II had been a hostage in Thebes for much of his youth, and what he had learned influenced his restructuring of the Macedonian infantry.
Philip’s military reforms were a new approach to the current hoplite warfare, which focused on their shield and thrusting spear.
Philip’s new focus was on a new weapon, the Sarissa. He called the soldiers in the phalanx Pezhetairoi, meaning “foot companions”.

Each phalangite carried as his primary weapon a Sarissa, a double pointed pike over 18 foot in length. The Sarissae were carried in two pieces before a battle and then slid together when they were to be used.
At close range such weapons were of little use, but an intact phalanx could easily keep its enemies at a distance. The weapons of the first few rows of men all projected beyond the front of the formation, so that there were more spear points than available targets at any given time.
Men in rows behind the initial rows angled their sarissae at angles in an attempt to ward off arrows or other projectiles.
There was a secondary weapon called a xiphos, which was a short sword.
They also had a smaller and flatter shield than that of the Greek Hoplon. The shield was worn hung around the neck so as to free up both hands to wield the sarissa.

The Phalanx consisted of several blocks of men, called syntagmata. There were 16 of these with 16 men in each Syntagmata. Each block was commanded by a syntagmatarchy, who together with his subordinate officers would form the first row of each block.

Neither Philip or Alexander actually used the phalanx as their arm of choice, but instead used it to hold the enemy in place while their heavy cavalry broke through the enemy ranks.
The Macedonian cavalry fought in a wedge formation and was almost always stationed on the far right.
The hypaspists an elite infantry unit were stationed on the immediate right of the phalanx wielding hoplite sized shields and spears.
The left flank was generally covered by allied cavalry usually Thessalians, which fought in a rhomboid formation and served mainly in a defensive role.

MAC-01A
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ANCIENT GREECE AND MACEDONIA,
THE MACEDONIANS,
MACEDONIAN PHALANX,
PHALANGITE OFFICER WITH COLOURED SHIELD.
(2 pcs)

MAC-01B
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ANCIENT GREECE AND MACEDONIA,
THE MACEDONIANS,
MACEDONIAN PHALANX,
PHALANGITE OFFICER WITH RED SHIELD.
(2 pcs)

MAC-01C
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ANCIENT GREECE AND MACEDONIA,
THE MACEDONIANS,
MACEDONIAN PHALANX,
PHALANGITE OFFICER WITH WHITE SHIELD.
(2 pcs)




MAC-01N
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ANCIENT GREECE AND MACEDONIA,
THE MACEDONIANS,
MACEDONIAN PHALANX,
3 PHALANGITE OFFICERS.
(6 pcs)

** PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL DEALER FOR FURTHER INFORMATION **

 

[Panzer ace]

These figures aligned in multiples are imply incredible.