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+--- Thread: Psiloi (/showthread.php?tid=4798)
Psiloi - Johnny Shumate - 02-18-2006
Anyone have pics of Greek shepherds? Mainly the fighters armed with the animal skin cloak and a rock/javelin. Even better, with a sling...
Thanks,
JOhnny
re - Johnny Shumate - 02-18-2006
Are you talking about the Osprey book, "The Ancient Greeks"? Yes, I have it... This is one of Osprey's better titles..!
Johnny
Re: re - hoplite14gr - 02-18-2006
Quote:Are you talking about the Osprey book, "The Ancient Greeks"? Yes, I have it... This is one of Osprey's better titles..!
Johnny
The original potery fro this reconstruction exist in a photo in Osprey's "Greek Hoplite" I think. This would repesent an Archaic Era psilos or the initial Laconic helot.
There were ares in Central Greece like Phokis and Lokris where a portion of the field army would be "Psiloi" due the more restricted finances.
These men would carry rounded pelta unlike the cresent shaped Thrakian pelta and javelins an possibly a dagger.
Only Opundian Locrians possibly had white "thracic" pelta with a brown snake as their emblem,
Aditional weapons would be small axes doubling as weapons and tools.
A reconstructed iron axe of these type exists in the www.4hoplites.com website.
Rhodians were the most famous slingers but possibly Spartan helots used them too (Arimnistos killed Mardonios in Platea with as ling)
Slingers would carry a wicker or leather shield.
Cretan archers sometimes would fight in open order as psiloi with lesser armor than usual.
Various types of straw hats and cups would be available to them.
Athenians were unique that they would employ Skythian slaves as policemen or support troops making use of their archery skills.
If they got engeged in a fight near the camp ,malets or butchers cleavers would be employed in absence of better weapons.
Hope I helped
Kind regards
re - Johnny Shumate - 02-18-2006
Stafanos,
What reference do you have on Greek slingers using pelta..? I've been looking for some reference(vases, coins, etc...) but can't find anything. I do have an image of a shepherd with his animal pelt over his arm, but that is all...
(Arimnistos killed Mardonios in Platea with as ling)
Where can I read about this? The Histories..?
Thanks for the great information..!
Johnny
Re: Psiloi - hoplite14gr - 02-18-2006
Herodotus if memory serves me right is the source on Arimnistos.
Slingers with shields are mentioned by Polyeanos.
Food for thought: In Greek PSILO with "I" refers to something thin.
PSILOKOMENOS = thinly cut (or in thin slices)
PSILOI might be the thinly spread troops (skirmisers) as opposed to tightly packed hoplites.
Kind regards
re - Johnny Shumate - 02-18-2006
Stefanos,
It's great to have a real Greek on this website, you have a knowledge of the language and geography that alot of us don't have..! I'll look into these sources...
Thanks,
Johnny
re - Johnny Shumate - 02-18-2006
Comerus,
Are these plates from Warry's book..? I have it. Other than that, anything else would be helpful..!!!!
Thanks,
JOhnny
Re: Psiloi - Dan Diffendale - 02-18-2006
Ancient Greek ψιλός (psi_lo/s - psilos) is an adjective meaning "bare" or "naked," or "bare (of something)." Psiloi are troops "bare (of armor)" or "unarmored," rather than "thinly spread troops." We must always be careful to differentiate ancient Greek from modern Greek.
re - Johnny Shumate - 02-18-2006
Comerus,
GREAT ILLUSTRATIONS!
I like the one on the bottom the best. Who is the artist..? Do you have more of his work.
The top illustration warrior in white, is that a sling in his belt on the right hip..?
Thanks again for your efforts!
Johnny
Re: Psiloi - Dan Diffendale - 02-19-2006
thanks! I finally got tired of the Samnite beer. I probably won't get the helmet for a while now; I'm trying to get the rest of my kit together, and I can't justify having three helmets without anything else... :roll:
Re: Psiloi - Comerus Gallus - 02-19-2006
Quote:thanks! I finally got tired of the Samnite beer. I probably won't get the helmet for a while now; I'm trying to get the rest of my kit together, and I can't justify having three helmets without anything else... :roll:
Friend dont rush!... I have the same situation with my Philip II kit, possible I would not be able to have it ready for this summer to use it at Watford!
...That is why I'm in the process in constructin a Linothorax & have another helmet...As you see in my avatar, there is my Philip II helmet, it needs the crest at top!
Re: Psiloi - hoplite14gr - 02-19-2006
The horseman with the thracian boots is from my friend Nikos Panos
for the book Xenophon: The return of the 10000.
So is the the peltast with the helmet. We did not have the snake info at that time so we left the shield blank.
Opoundian Lokrians, Perrevoi, Aeninanes would be similarly equiped.
I respect Dan's opinion but we may not necessarily narrow it doen to only one dictionary. I will try to find some references.
Kind regards
re - Johnny Shumate - 02-19-2006
Stefanos,
Has your friend(Nikos) illustrated a Cretan archer and a Rhodian slinger..? If so, can you give us a preview..!!
Thanks,
JOhnny
Re: re - hoplite14gr - 02-19-2006
Quote:Stefanos,
Has your friend(Nikos) illustrated a Cretan archer and a Rhodian slinger..? If so, can you give us a preview..!!
Thanks,
JOhnny
Cretan archer as psilos yes. I will ask him for a digital image.
Rhodian slinger not yet. They didn't want to pay for the extra figure in the magazine.
I suspect Gioi has the book and a scanner and he can do it quicker.
Kind regards
re - Johnny Shumate - 02-19-2006
Thanks..!
Has this book been published..? If so, how can I buy it..?
Johnny