Current Historical Events An Outsider S View Companion Cavalry The companion cavalry was composed of the hetairoi of the king, mainly upper class citizens who were able to acquire and maintain armour and horses. in the age of philip ii and alexander they were organized into 8 territorial squadrons, termed ilai. each ile numbered between 200 and 300 horsemen. [5][6] they were originally commanded by a. Cavalry was the decisive arm of the macedonian army under alexander. his tactics for its employment in battle were simple but effective. first alexander would fix the enemy in place with light cavalry and the phalanx, and then launch the killing stroke with his cavalry at the critical moment. this hammer and anvil approach served alexander.
Alexander S Macedonian Companion Cavalry Ancient Macedonia Ancient By 338 bc, alexander is reported to have around 2600 in his companion cavalry. as alexander's force campaigned towards india, barbarians played an increasing role in the companion cavalry and the macedonian mutiny at opis may have been partially caused by this. at one point there were four hipparchies made up of entirely oriental forces and one. A companion or thessalian cavalry soldier depicted on the “alexander sarcophagus”. credit: marsyas wikimedia commons cc by 3.0. during his campaigns, alexander the great relied on a variety of military units for tactical success; the most prestigious of these units were the companions, the elite mounted shock cavalry of the macedonian army. Arriving at the hydaspes river and finding porus‘ army and war elephants arrayed on the opposite bank, alexander left a portion of his army in camp to fix porus‘ attention while he led a mobile force including his companion cavalry on a daring crossing upriver.[^9] alexander‘s cavalry secured the far bank and allowed the rest of his army. The companion cavalry was the more important division and was commanded at first by philotas and later by cleitus and hephaestion. they were divided into eight squadrons of 200 men each and each man carried a nine foot lance but wore little armor.
Alexander And His Companion Cavalry Artwork By Pablo Outeiral Arriving at the hydaspes river and finding porus‘ army and war elephants arrayed on the opposite bank, alexander left a portion of his army in camp to fix porus‘ attention while he led a mobile force including his companion cavalry on a daring crossing upriver.[^9] alexander‘s cavalry secured the far bank and allowed the rest of his army. The companion cavalry was the more important division and was commanded at first by philotas and later by cleitus and hephaestion. they were divided into eight squadrons of 200 men each and each man carried a nine foot lance but wore little armor. For cavalry, alexander had his elite 1,800 companion cavalry, along with another 1,800 thessalian cavalrymen, and 600 greek allies. there were also around 900 light cavalry men, which included the allied paeonians and thracians as well as the prodromoi , or scouts, a more regular macedonian unit of uncertain ethnicity. Cavalry: companion cavalry: the hetairoi (companion cavalry) were the elite cavalry units, serving as alexander’s shock troops. heavily armed, they played a crucial role in flanking and breaking enemy lines. thessalian cavalry: known for their versatility and effectiveness, these units provided additional heavy cavalry support.
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