10-28-2007, 07:29 AM
Welcome Paralus ! Good to see some more Aussie input! 
The Argyraspides were indeed the Hypaspists, of that there can be little doubt, and they carried Aspia and Dory in Alexanders time and after, not pelte and sarissa.
The Hypaspists gained the name 'Argyraspides'(silvershields) after Alexander's death.Note it is 'aspis', not 'argypeltophoroi' which it would be if they were sarissa armed !! None of our three main sources (Diodorus, Curtius and Plutarch ) mention any change of armament. Later, in the hellenistic Macedonian army, there is a guard unit named 'Argyraspides' in honour of the originals, and these are definitely sarissa armed 'Peltasts'.
Also, although Plutarch tells us that the 'Argyraspides' at the Battle of Gabiene in 316 B.C. were all over sixty, this may be an exaggeration. Alexander began his campaign in 334 B.C., and assuming most of the army were young 18-30 year olds, a simple calculation shows they would be 36-48 at Gabiene !!! Maybe 'old' but not in their sixties !
The Argyraspides were indeed the Hypaspists, of that there can be little doubt, and they carried Aspia and Dory in Alexanders time and after, not pelte and sarissa.
The Hypaspists gained the name 'Argyraspides'(silvershields) after Alexander's death.Note it is 'aspis', not 'argypeltophoroi' which it would be if they were sarissa armed !! None of our three main sources (Diodorus, Curtius and Plutarch ) mention any change of armament. Later, in the hellenistic Macedonian army, there is a guard unit named 'Argyraspides' in honour of the originals, and these are definitely sarissa armed 'Peltasts'.
Also, although Plutarch tells us that the 'Argyraspides' at the Battle of Gabiene in 316 B.C. were all over sixty, this may be an exaggeration. Alexander began his campaign in 334 B.C., and assuming most of the army were young 18-30 year olds, a simple calculation shows they would be 36-48 at Gabiene !!! Maybe 'old' but not in their sixties !
"dulce et decorum est pro patria mori " - Horace
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
