Cavalry and Mercenary

Achaemenid Persian cavalrymen and Greek mercenary peltast, early 4th century BCE

This drawing is inspired by the Altıkulaç Sarcophagus from Hellespontine Phrygia. The owner of this sarcophagus is unknown, but he is most likely related to Pharnabazus (re. 413~387 BCE), the Persian satrap (governor) of the region. The sarcophagus is decorated with a battle scene. The mounted Persian warrior, accompanied by his Greek mercenary, is attacking a fallen Greek soldier. The rider is most likely the one to whom the sarcophagus belonged.

The cavalrymen are dressed in a long-sleeved tunic and trousers, which was a typical Persian fashion. Greeks, on the other hand, wore no trousers. He is armed with a palta javelin and akinakes dagger. Earlier Achaemenid cavalry relied heavily on cavalry archery, but after the Greek Wars, they switched their primary weapon to javelins. My drawing added a sagaris battle ax as a secondary weapon.

The helmet and armor of this cavalryman is very unique. The top of the helmet is flat, and it has cheek guards like Greek helmets. The armor appears to be quilted linen armor, which was popular among both Greeks and Persians. It does, however, have unusually high neck guard and shoulder pieces. This type of paraphernalia is unknown in other sources, perhaps except for one Greco-Persian seal made in Anatolia.

The armor is clearly a type of linothorax with a pteruges (strip-like defences under a cuirass). I interpreted as an additional shoulder-neck guard tied to the cuirass. This allows for relatively free movement of the arms.

The helmet was very problematic because this specific type of helmet is almost nonexistent in other contemporary sources. A similar helmet, however, was discovered at the Temple of Isthmia in Corinthia. This helmet was found with the spoils from the Persians as a temple offerings. Also, the image of a ram on the cheek guards is similar to Achaemenid iconography. The eyebrow-like decoration is reminiscent of a Greek Chalcidian type helmet. Researchers usually identify this helmet as Saka, or Scythian. Because the Achaemenid army adopted many Saka military equippments such as horse armor, I chose this helmet for the drawing.

The horseman on the right is similarly equipped, with the addition of horse armor and leg armor. Following the Greek war, some Achaemenid cavalry adopted much heavier armor, including partial horse armor. Xenophon's Anabasis describes the equipment of the guard cavalry of Cyrus the Younger (Achaemenid prince) as follows: "They were armed with cuirasses, and thigh-pieces (parameridia). They all wore helmets (...) All their horses had armor for the forehead and breast; and the cavalry also carried Greek sabres (...) and javelins." So I drew the horse armor and thigh guards made of bronze scales.

The Greek mercenary is depicted with his Persian employer at the sarcophagus. After the Greco-Persian War, Greek mercenaries in service for Persians were a common occurrence. For example, aforementioned Xenophon commanded the Greek mercenary armies of the Achaemenid Empire, and became involved in the civil war between Cyrus the Younger and Artaxerxes II (re. 404~358 BCE).

The mercenary carries a kopis sword, a small round shield, and javelins. He is not wearing a cuirass. He is a typical peltastes light infantry. I added an Attic type helmet, which was commonly used at the time.

Sources

· Kylix depicting a battle between Greek and Persian warriors, National Archaeological Museum of Athens, c. 480 BCE

· Apadana reliefs, Persepolis, c. 479~465 BCE

· Helmet dedicated to Poseidon, Sanctuary of Poseidon, c. 450 BCE

· Altıkulaç Sarcophagus, c. 400~380 BCE

· Nereid Monument, c. 390 BCE

· Chalcedony Greco-Persian seal with a Persian horseman and a Greek hoplite, Villa Giulia, early 4th century BCE

· Xenophon, Anabasis, c. 370 BCE

· Alexander Sarcophagus, c. 332~311 BCE

· Alexander Mosaic, c. 100 BCE

· Duncan Head, The Achaemenid Persian Army, 1992

· Nick Sekunda, The Persian Army 560-330 BC, 1992

· Pierre Briant, From Cyrus to Alexander: A History of the Persian Empire, 2002