Royal Pikemen; Long Pikes?

[Byzantine Prince]

Shouldn't the royal pikemen have the longest spears. How come they have the shortest ones in all the greek factions. I know how to fix it in the game. I was just bothered by the historical correctness of the pikes.

[lars573]

The name royal pikemen is a misleading title because they weren't pikemen at all. CA should have called them by they're true name, hypaspists. These men fought with xystons or swords depending on the situation.

[Byzantine Prince]

However since they are called pikemen in the game I see nothing wrong with giving them pikes.

A xyston is only 12.5 feet long. I don't know how long that is in the game though.

BTW hypaspist just means protector so it gives no real indication as to weather their spears were long or not.

[lars573]

That's true (i didn't know what Hypaspists meant) but I have read a description of their war gear. And it stated categorically that Hypaspists were equipped in a similar fashion as hoplites. With the 9 foot xyston and swords and would use either as the situation required.

[Kraxis]

Actually Hypaspist means 'Shield bearer'. Aspis means shield and hyp well you can guess it. It is the same with Argyraspist, which means Silver Shield. Argyr = silver and Aspis = shield.
While I can't remember if there is any direct reference to Hypaspists being armed like hoplites they were indeed very capable in melee with swords taking walls and fortresses, often the first in. In this fashion a larger shield like that of the hoplites would be preferable compared to the smaller Illyrian shield the phalangites carried. Also the name itself also lends a bit to the belief that they carried large shields as why would they be called shield bearers if their shield wasn't significant?

So it is the name Royal Pikemen that is wrong...