Asgaroths Research

[ahowl11]

NABATAEAN KINGDOM

The Nabataean kingdom was a political state of the Nabataeans which existed during Classical antiquity and was annexed by the Roman Empire in Ad 106..

Diodorus describes the Nabataeans as nomads who 'range over a country which is partly desert and partly waterless, though a small section of it is fruitful... It is their custom neither to plant grain, set out any fruit-bearing tree, use wine, nor construct any house... Some of them raise camels, others sheep, pasturing them in the desert... They themselves use as food flesh and milk and those of the plants that grow wild from the ground which are suitable for this purpose'.

Straddling the northern end of the caravan route from South Arabia to the Mediterranean, the Nabataean kingdom emerged as a great merchant-trader realm during the first centuries B.C. and A.D.



FACTION GOALS

Hold(number)of settlements and destroy or outlive faction/factions Ptolemaic empire,Seleucid Empire...

Why?

Seleucids-The Nabataeans were allies of the first Hasmoneans in their struggles against the Seleucid monarchs.

Ptolemaic empire-"Some Nabataeans indulged in piracy on the Red Sea, profitably attacking the merchant ships of Ptolemaic Egypt."
-During the King Malichus II reign, in 32 BC Herod the Great started a war against Nabatea, with the support of Cleopatra. The war started with Herod's army plundering Nabataea and with a large cavalry force, and the occupation of Dium. After this defeat the Nabatean forces amassed near Canatha in Syria, but were attacked and routed. Athenio (Cleopatra's General) sent Canathans to the aid of the Nabateans, and this force crushed Herod's army which then fled to Ormiza. One year later, Herod's army overran Nabataea.

So the Ptolomaic empire can be allys and enemies,you choose?


FACTION LEADER NAMES

I couldn't find many of them so you will have to make up some names yourselvs along with these historical names.

These three were the most important leaders:

Aretas I(first known king of the Nabataeans- His name appeared on the oldest Nabataean inscription dating from 168 BC which was found at Halutza.)

Rabbel II Soter(Soter-"Savior of the People" was the last ruler of the Nabataean Kingdom")

Aretas IV Philopatris(at his time Nabataean kingdom was the stronges-he was in bad relations with the Romans)

Other leaders:
Malichus I
Erotimus
Aretas II
Obodas I
Rabbel I
Aretas III Philhellen
Obodas II
Malichus I
Obodas III
Chuldu(female-queen)
Malichus II
Shaqilath(queen)
Gamilath(queen)

After Gamilath Nabataean Kingdom was annexed by Trajan becoming the Roman province of Arabia Petraea!

NABATAEAN CITIES

Not all these are Nabataean cities-look at the border map below!



Important cities

Petra(capital of the Nabataean kingdom-)
Bostra(first Nabataean city-it was important because of the trading roots that passed through the city)


Nabataean Kingdom border(so you can better point it out on the campaign map)


Remains of the capital city of the Nabathaean Kingdom-Petra



NABATAEAN RELIGION-GODS

Being a trade junction, the Nabateans were effectively exposed to many different belief systems, whether from Egypt, Syria, Canaan, Assyria, Babylon, Greece or Rome. This situation was decisive for the development of Nabatean religion.

Their religion was as most other religions of the time, polytheistic. Gods were represented as rocks, both in a symbolic but also in a literal sense. The rocks were holy in themselves and a part of the divine, but also a link to a dimension beyond. The rocks can be understood as a sort of altar.

Dushara-the highest,most important Nabataean god
-he was the god of the sun and wine

Atagatis-goddess of fertility( so if you choose this shrine-population growth +)

Allat-God of the Moon

Manat-God of fate

Uzza-god of water

NABATAEAN ARMY

Nabataean desert infantry



Judean slingers



Arabian slingers



Judean Zealot heavy infantry



Canaan skirmishers




Egyptian native slingers




Eastern light cavalry(just attach a horse in the scripts)

Assyrian allied infantry

Nabataean noble spearman

Nabataean eastern infantry

Assyrian cavalry(put the bow insted of the spear)


Bedouin camel archers



WEAPONS AND ARMOR

Eastern helmets(The big one in the bottom left is of a slinger



Eastern shields



Swords




Spears




Bows

[ahowl11]

ATROPATENE KINGDOM

-was an ancient kingdom established and ruled by Iranian dynasties in the 4th century BC in modern Iranian Azarbaijan and Iranian Kurdistan.Atropatene also was the nominal ancestor of the name Azarbaijan.


Atropatene Kingdom-green



FACTION GOALS

Capture(number)of settlements and destroy or outlive faction/factions:Seleucid Empire

Why?

No armenia- "It does not seem to have given border conflicts with the western neighbour Armenia."

However Parthia did fought against Armenia but Atropatene didn't and Atropatene was directly an ally of Parthia.In 20 BC Atropatena became fully dependent on Parthia as one of its provinces and lost its statehood!


Seleucid Empire-it is written that they opposed the hellenization and preserved its Iranian tradition...So by this they must have been at war?

FACTION LEADER NAMES

Artavasdes III,Artavasdes I and Aristobanes II later become kings of Armenia,but I couldn't find how.

There are no leaders that stood out mostly for this faction!

Atropates(first king)
Artabazanes
Mithridates I
Aristobanes I
Darius
Artavasdes I
Aristobanes II
Artavasdes III
Artabanos
Bagayash
Pakoros
Vonones
Artabanos III
Ariovast
Artavasdes II
Ariobarzanes II
Artashes
Ariobarzanes I
Dareios
Gotarzes
Artabazos

ATROPATENE CITIES



map of the cities(I couldn't find a bigger map of the cities)

important cities:

Ghazakka(capital city of Atropatene Kingdom)
Phraaspa(However isn't on the map,but you know where it is from playing RTW-It was the most important fortress of the Atropatene Kingdom!)

ATROPATENE RELIGION-GODS

Atropatene people(mostly persians) had Ahura Mazda religion...Zoroastrism and Ahura Mazda are relate but however different religions.Atropatene Kingdom and Parthia had Ahura Mazda religion and Sassanids in BI had Zoroastrism and at that time Ahura Mazda stop existing!..Ahura Mazda is described as the highest deity of worship in Zoroastrianism(so it is part of Zoroastrism but from the begining it was a religion for itself!), along with being the first and most frequently invoked deity in the Yasna!!!!...

Keep the religion of the Parthians from RTW

And as you can see this religion wasn't polytheistic like most of them from this time,it was monotheistic(one god)...So keep the one shrine and description for it from RTW!

ATROPATENE KINGDOM ARMY

Persian archers



Iranian foot archers



Persian infantry



Elite spearman



Nomad archers



Eastern infantry



Persian royal guard



Hillmen



Parthian medium sperarman



Horse archers



Heavy cavalry



light peltasts


desert skirmishes



Levy spearman




Atropatene slingers



light cavalry



Persian elephants

[ahowl11]

THRACE

The biggest part of Thrace is part of present-day Bulgaria. In Turkey, it is also called Rumelia. The name comes from the Thracians, an ancient Indo-European people inhabiting Southeastern Europe.They spoke the Thracian language – a scarcely attested branch of the Indo-European language family.

The indigenous population of Thrace was a people called the Thracians, divided into numerous tribal groups. Thracian troops were known to accompany neighboring ruler Alexander the Great when he crossed the Hellespont which abuts Thrace, and took on the Persian Empire of the day.

The Thracians did not describe themselves as such and Thrace and Thracians are simply the names given them by the Greeks.

Like Illyrians, Thracian tribes of the mountainous regions fostered a locally ruled warrior tradition, while the tribes based in the plains were purportedly more peaceable.

Although the concept of an urban center wasn't developed until the Roman period, various larger fortifications which also served as regional market centers were numerous. Yet, in general, despite Greek colonization in such areas as Byzantium, Apollonia and other cities, the Thracians avoided urban life.

Thracians were regarded as warlike, ferocious, and bloodthirsty.They were seen as "barbarians" by other peoples, namely the ancient Greeks and Romans. Plato in his Republic considers them, along with the Scythians,extravagant and high spirited and his Laws considers them war-like nations grouping them with Celts, Persians, Scythians, Iberians and Carthagianians


FACTION GOALS

Short:Take(number)of settlements and destroy or outlive faction/factions:Macedon,Dacia,Gauls or at least some Gaul settlements!

Why?

Macedon-the region(thrace) was conquered by Philip II of Macedon in the 4th century BC and was ruled by the kingdom of Macedon for a century and a half...

Dacia-Apart from conflicts between Thracians and neighboring nations and tribes, numerous wars were recorded among Thracian tribes too...Dacians were a Thracian tribe!...

And apart from the game if you are a leader-to be strong you first must unite the tribes and the only way to do that is by diplomacy(which is toooooo bad in every RTW serial)or to defeat them in war...

Gaul-n 279 BC, Celtic Gauls advanced into Macedonia, Southern Greece and Thrace. They were soon forced out of Macedonia and Southern Greece, but they remained in Thrace until the end of the century. From Thrace, three Celtic tribes advanced into Anatolia and formed a new kingdom called Galatia.

Tylis was founded by Gauls!!!

Or we can put gaul faction goals:Thrace?


FACTION LEADER NAMES

All these were historical leaders of Thrace

These were the most important leaders:

Teres I(He was the first king of Thrace who united the 40 or more Thracian tribes under one banner, was well-known for his military abilities and spent much of his life on the battlefield. He died during a military campaign in 445 BC.)

Sitalces(son of Teres I who seemed to have taken on his fathers fighting prowess and used all the tribes to wage war with Macedon.)

Other leaders:

Abrupolis
Amadocus II
Amadocus I
Amatokos II
Amatokos III
Beithys
Bergaios
Berisades
Cersobleptes
Cetriporis
Cosingas
Cotys I
Cotys II Sapaean
Cotys II Odrysian
Cotys III
Cotys IV
Cotys V
Cotys VI
Diegylis
Dromichaetes
Getas
Hebryzelmis
Olorus
Pythodoris II
Rabocentus
Raizdos
Rhascus
Rhescuporis I Odrysian
Rhescuporis I Sapaean
Rhescuporis II
Rhescuporis II Astaean
Rhoemetalces II
Rhoemetalces III
Rhoemetalces I
Sadalas I
Sadalas III
Sadalas II
Seuthes I
Seuthes III
Seuthes II
Seuthes IV
Sparatocos
Spargapeithes
Teres II
Teres III
Ziselmius


THRACE CITIES

Thracians tended to build their walled cities and fortresses on the tops of hills!
Ancient map of Thrace







The little black house is Seuthopolis-the capital

Most important cities:

Seuthopolis(capital city of the Thracian Kingdom)
Ratiaria(was a city founded by Moesi, a Daco-Thracian tribe, in 4th century BC, along the river Danube. The city had a gold mine in the vicinity, which was exploited by the Thracians.)


THRACE RELIGION

Sabazios-highest god of the Phrygians and Thracians.He was a god of the sky and underworld.

Hera-goddess of the sky

Kotys-Goddess of vegetation

Cybele-Goddess of earth harvest and love...So we can see here that Thracian religion influenced the religion of Bosporan Kingdom.

Myndrytos-He is a god of thieves,shepherds,cowherds,literature and poets.His equivalent is Hermes.

Bendis-Goddess of the moon and fate

Zerinthia-Love goddess.Her equivalent was Aphrodite


THRACIAN ARMY

The Thracians are perhaps best known for introducing the use of Peltasts to the Greek world. A peltast carried a shield and helmet for protection, and fought with javelin and sword in loose order formations, emphasizing mobility over shock power. Thracians were also famed for their cavalary, as they had exceptionally fine horses, and employed the advanced light horse tactics of the Skythians.

Thracian men traditionally wore their hair in top-knots, and their pointed "alokepsis" hat was designed around this practice, as was the "Thracian" helmet pattern later popular throughout the ancient world. Thracians also wore long, colorful cloaks called "Zeira", which were brightly decorated with geometric patterns.

General's element comprised of well outfitted Thracian nobles. These nobles often had fine bronze armor imported from Greece. Early Thracian cavalry wore Chalcidian helmets if they wore helmets at all, only later exchanging them for the "Thracian" helmets often seen in pictures. Later Thracian nobles wore more advanced composite scale armor, similar to the Skythians.

The majority of Thracian cavalry was unarmoured javelin-armed light cavalry. These troops fought primarily with javelins, but could charge in the wedge formation used by the Skythians to some effect.

Peltasts and Thureophoroi make up the bulk of the Thracian army. Fighting in loose order and using melee weapons when necessary, they were very effective in broken terrain, but unable to stand up to heavy formed troops in the open.Their primary weapons were the javelin (of which they traditionally carried 2), and some sort of melee weapon. This weapon could be anything from a stabbing spear to a falx, to the "rhomphaia", which was a sort of battle scythe unique to the Thracians.Before 300BC, these soldiers would carry the crescent shaped Pelta, and wore no helmets. Later, the Pelta was exchanged for the sturdier Thureos: a thick, oval shield believed to have been copied from Celtic designs. They also adopted the "Thracian" helmet some time in the 4th Century BC.

Slingers were often the poorest troops, and dressed in little more than their tunics, which would be an earth tone in color.

Archers were very rare in the Thracian army, but were not unheard of.

Hoplites were adopted from the greek fighting style.



Getai light cavalry


Javelin cavalry


Elite infantry(with rhomphaia)


Thracian slingers



Getae slingers



Greek Hoplites


Bastarnae



Falxmen


Thracian peltasts


heavy javelins



Barbarian archer warband


Warband


Thracian hoplites



thracian Noble cavalry


Barbarian heavy cavalry


Thracian heavy infantry


THRACIAN WEAPONS-ARMOR

Thracian helmet


Pelta shield with traditional gorgon painting(Medusa)




Thueos shields





Boeotian helmets






Falx





rhomphaia

[ahowl11]

KINGDOM OF PONTUS

The Kingdom of Pontus or Pontic Empire was a state of Kurdish or Persian origin on the southern coast of the Black Sea. It was founded by Mithridates I in 291 BC and lasted until its conquest by the Roman Republic in 63 BC. The kingdom grew to its largest extent under Mithridates VI the Great, who conquered Colchis, Cappadocia, Bithynia, the Greek colonies of the Tauric Chersonesos and for a brief time the Roman province of Asia.

The coastal region was dominated by the Greek cities such as Amastris and Sinope, the latter which became the Pontic capital after its capture!

The coast was rich in Timber, fishing and the olive trade. Pontus was also rich in Iron and silver, which were mined near the coast south of Pharnacia, steel from the Chalybian mountains became quite famous in Greece.



FACTION GOALS

Capture(number)of settlements and destroy or outlive faction/factions:Seleucid Empire,Greek cities

Why?

Seleucid Empire-"Mithridates first went to the city of Cimiata in Paphlagonia and later to Amasia in Cappadocia. He fought against Seleucus I and in 281 (or 280) BC declared himself ruler of a state in northern Cappadocia and eastern Paphlagonia and ruled from 302 to 266."

No Armenians-i don't know how will this come up in the game but Armenia and Pontus were actually allys!!

Greek cities-"Pharnaces I of Pontus (189-159 BC) was much more successful in his expansion against the Greek coastal cities. He joined in a war with Prusias of Bithynia against Eumenes of Pergamon in 188 BC, but the two made peace in 183 after Bithynia suffered a series of reversals. He took Sinope in 182 B.C. and though the Rhodians complained to Rome over this, nothing was done. Pharnaces also took the coastal cities of Cotyora, Pharnacia and Trapezus in the east, effectively controlling most of the northern Anatolian coastline"

I have also found that Mithridates had a campaign in which he marched to Europe,but he was defeated by Sulla(Roman general) in Thessaly-but what was his goal?-it seems like he wanted to reconquer the lost Macedonian and greek lands from the romans?Or was his primary goal greece not depending the romans taken the land?...But still there is no word pointing on that,so it will stay Thrace,because it is in the original RTW short campaign and Seleucid that I found evidence for!

There isn't many information on Pontic wars.The hardest fights they had were against the romans known as the first,second and third Mithridatic war.Before that they fought mostly against Bithynia(and later as you can see became allys) and Seleucids.Since it doesn't exist in the mod I will leave the faction goals as listed above due to lack of historical evidence!!!

However I have found that they(Pontus-Mithridates i) have taken the settlement of Chersonesos,so in the long campaign you can put this city to be conquered as on of the goals when playing as Pontus.Pontus was in good relationship with Bosporan kingdom,but before Chersonesos was captured it had belong to the Scythians,not Bosporan Kingdom!


FACTION LEADER NAMES

These were the most important Pontic leaders:

Mithridates I Ctistes(founder of the Kingdom of Pontus!)
Pharnaces I(Captured Sinope which had been long an object of ambition to the Kings of Pontus and later it become the capital of the kingdom)

You will need to put those from RTW because here are few of them.There were 2-3 of them(1 queen and 2 kings) but they were Roman cilent kings/queen so that is illogical to put them.

Other leaders:

Ariobarzanes
Mithridates II
Mithridates III
Mithridates IV Philopator Philadephos
Mithridates V Euergetes
Mithridates VI Eupator
Pharnaces II
Darius of Pontus
Arsaces of Pontus

PONTIC CITIES

Important cities:

Amasya-Amasis on the map below!( was a fortified city high on the cliffs above the river. It has a long history as provincial capital-(before Sinope was captured), a wealthy city producing kings and princes, artists, scientists, poets and thinkers, from the kings of Pontus)

Mazaca(the city served as the residence of the kings of Cappadocia. In ancient times, it was on the crossroads of the trade routes from Sinope to the Euphrates and from the Persian Royal Road that extended from Sardis to Susa. In Roman times, a similar route from Ephesus to the East also crossed the city.)-It is not on the map(I couldn't find a better map of the cities).You know where it is from RTW


PONTIC RELIGION

The interior of the kingdom had powerful Temples with large estates. The gods of the Kingdom were mostly syncretic, with features of local gods, Persian and Greek Deities.

Apollo-has been variously recognized as a god of light and the sun, truth and prophecy, medicine, healing, plague, music, poetry, arts and more. Apollo is the son of Zeus and Leto, and has a twin sister, the chaste
huntress Artemis.

Men-god of the Moon

Ma-goddess of hunting,caverns and mountains,walls and fortresses, nature, wild animals.

Zeus-God of lightning and storm

PONTIC ARMY

The Pontic army is a merging of the Persian with the Hellenistic, which one would expect form this area bypassed by Alexander’s conquests.That can by mostly seen by various use of the pike units armed with the long sarissa. Persian style cavalry may choose to have xyston or throwing spears. The phalanx is very ornate, but they look better than they fight. The army on the whole is brittle but is very large and seems appropriate for its quirky commander Mithridates VI eupator. The army uses an abundance of Scythed Chariots, but has no elephants.

Pontic chariots


pontic imitation legionnaires


Pontic pikeman


Pontic heavy cavalry


Greek heavy peltasts


Pontic heavy infantry


Royal pikeman(ponto-greek style)


Pontic bronze shield pikeman


Eastern archers


Eastern light peltasts(change color)



Hillmen


Pontic light cavalry

[ahowl11]

NUMIDIA

The name Numidia was first applied by Polybius and other historians during the third century BC to indicate the territory west of Carthage, including the entire north of Algeria as far as the river Mulucha (Muluya), about 100 miles west of Oran. The Numidians were conceived of as two great tribal groups: the Massylii in eastern Numidia, and the Masaesyli in the west


FACTION GOALS

Capture(number)of settlements and destroy or outlive faction/factions:Carthage

why?

Numidia wasn't a nation that was eager for expanding their lands.Even the relationship between the east and west tribes weren't excelent.The western tribe-Masaesyli mostly supported romans in their campaign and the eastern was supporting Carthage.That was clear in the second punic war when king Gala(leader of the eastern tribe) allied with Carthage and Syphax(leader of the western tribe) allied with the romans...so it will stay as it was-Carthage.

FACTION LEADER NAMES

important leaders:

Massinissa(first numidian king-fought as ally of the romans in the battle of Zama)

Other leaders:

Syphax
Vermina
Archobarzane
Zelalsen
Gala
Ozalces
Capussa
Lacumazes
Micipsa
Gulussa
Mastanabal
Adherbal
Hiempsal I
Jugurtha
Adherbal
Gauda
Hiempsal II
Juba I
Juba II

NUMIDIAN CITIES

this were the best maps of Numidia I could find


important cities

Cirta(capital of Numidia)
Tingis(Treading centar of the western part-had the most important port in the kingdom)
Siwa(main city of the eastern part of the kingdom-there was a huge oasis that was important for food harvesting)



Remains of ancient siwaNUMIDIAN RELIGION

The numidian religion was a mixof Egyptian and Phoenician(Carthage) bliefsso they honouredboth of them.

Baal-God of war
Amon-God of sun
Isis-Goddess of nature and magic
Milquart-God of the underworld
Astarte-Goddess of war,sexuality and fertility


NUMIDIAN ARMY

INFANTRY

Numidian kings were never able to come up with decent infantry, although they did succeed in some improvement under King Syphax. During the Second Punic War he was able to obtain the services of a Roman centurion Quintus Statorius. Livy has Syphax saying his army was quite shapeless and haphazard, a mere casual mob. The centurion went to work. "Statorius found ample material from which to enrol infantry soldiers for Syphax; he organized them very much after the Roman pattern, gave them instruction in forming up, maneuvering, following the standards, and keeping formation, and accustomed them to various military duties, including fortifications, and all so successfully that the prince soon came to trust his infantry no less than his cavalry, and that when an engagement took place on open ground he defeated his Carthaginian foe." [Livy, The History of Rome Book XXIV]


This was obviously too dangerous for Carthage who allied with the most famous Numidian prince Masinissa to annihilate Syphaxs army. Some vestige of the training of Statorius must have stuck, because the Numidian infantry is never referred to as a formless mass in later times. In fact, the formations do seem to echo the Roman maniples and although this can only be conjecture, the infantry fight in a mix of Roman and Numidian techniques as a sort of light infantry. Showing an ability to maintain unit cohesion and rally to standards like the Roman troops, while attempting to avoid direct contact in their native fashion.
"When Jugurtha saw that Metellus rearguard had passed the first lines of his own army, he stationed a force of some two thousand infantry on the hill at the point where Metellus had descended, so that the Romans would not be able to retreat to it and defend themselves there. Immediately afterwards he gave the order to attack.


The rear of Metellus column suffered heavy casualties and both flanks were assailed by mobile assailants who pressed home their attacks and spread general confusion in the Roman ranks. For even the men who resisted with the most dogged courage were disconcerted by this irregular manner of fighting, in which they were wounded at long range without being able to strike back or come to grips with their foe [Sallust, The Jugurthine War.51]


When the infantry had to wait for combat closer formations were favoured, because troops in close formations are less likely to run away. These would be extended to deliver an attack. This is more suggestive of light infantry troops. It should be noted
that the Numidians also made good skirmish troops. This type of fighting entirely suiting their nature. "Accordingly, he altered the formation of his battle line, which, because he distrusted his men's courage, he had drawn up in close order. He now extended it so he would be able to block the enemies line of march." [Sallust, The Jugurthine War. 53]


CAVALRY

The cavalry was always the more effective arm of the Numidian cavalry.. Each rider being familiar with the way he was required to fight. Both cavalry squadrons and infantry companies utilized standards to rally to after an evade and would form up on these. "Jugurtha took up his own position nearer the mountain with all his cavalry and the pick of his infantry. Then visiting each squadron and company, he earnestly besought them to remember the victory which their valor had already gained.


The Numidians had stationed themselves and their horses among the thickets and although they were not completely hidden by the low trees, it was difficult to distinguish just what was there since the men and their standards were concealed both by their surroundings and by camouflage." [Sallust. The Jugurthine War. 49]
The outcome of this was that the Numidians cavalry was able to retire swiftly from a charge, but return quickly to the attack. This method would be used whether the enemy was foot or mounted. "Whenever a squadron of Roman cavalry began to charge, instead of retiring in a body in one direction, they retreated independently, scattering as widely as possible. In this way they could take advantage of their numerical superiority. If they failed to check their enemies' charge, they would wait until the Romans lost their formation and then cut them off." [Sallust, The Jugurthine War. 51]


Even in formal battles as auxiliaries for Carthage or Rome, the Numidians maintained this loose manner of fighting. The metaphor of a pack of dogs springs readily to mind. Any charge would not be resisted, but the flanks and rear of the enemy would be savaged as the attack ran out of steam. The aim was to cut off the victim and force him to stand or run. To stand was to be shot to death. To run was fatal. The Numidian cavalry was deadly in pursuit. Even if the enemy was not dispersed they would be neutralised by the scattered Numidians.

Polybius gave an excellent account of this style of fighting in his account of the battle of Cannae. "The Numidian horse on the Carthaginian right were meanwhile charging through the cavalry on the Roman left; and though, from the peculiar nature of their mode of fighting, they neither inflicted nor received much harm, they yet rendered the enemy's horse useless by keeping them occupied, and charging them first on one side and then another. But when Hasdrubal, after all but annihilating the cavalry by the river, came from the left to the support of the Numidians, the Roman allied cavalry, seeing his charge approaching, broke and fled. At that point Hasdrubal appears to have acted with great skill and discretion. Seeing the Numidians to be strong in numbers, and more effective and formidable to troops that had once been forced from their ground, he left the pursuit to them; while he himself hastened to the part of the field where the infantry were engaged, and brought his men up to support the Libyans." [Polybios Book 3, 116.5]

ELEPHANTS

As previously mentioned, the Numidian army lacked real staying power and although the cavalry and infantry could deal very effectively with enemy mounted troops by use of formations working in close support, Disciplined infantry were another problem. In an effort to hold the Romans until the heavy missiles could destroy them with missile fire, the Numidians made extensive use of African elephants. Caesar describes some as having towers on their backs, Sallust is less clear, but both mention body protection.



That this combination of tactics was initially quite effective is apparent by the degree of trouble Julius Caesar took to accustom his legionaries to the beasts. "Caesar was rendered very anxious by these occurrences; because as often as he engaged with his cavalry, without being supported by the infantry, he found himself by no means a match for the enemy's horse, supported by their light-armed foot: and as he had no experience of the strength of their legions, he foresaw still greater difficulties when these should be united, as the shock must then be overwhelming. In addition to this, the number and size of the elephants greatly increased the terror of the soldiers; for which, however, he found a remedy, in causing some of those animals to be brought over from Italy, that his men might be accustomed to the sight of them, know their strength and courage, and in what part of the body they were most vulnerable.


For as the elephants are covered with trappings and ornaments, it was necessary to inform them what parts of the body remained naked, that they might direct their darts thither. It was likewise needful to familiarize his horses to the cry, smell, and figure of these animals; in all of which he succeeded to a wonder; for the soldiers quickly came to touch them with their hands, and to be sensible of their tardiness; and the cavalry attacked them with blunted darts, and, by degrees, brought their horses to endure their presence. [Caesar, The civil War Book 11.72]


Significant numbers of elephants are recorded in Numidian armies, ranging from four captured and 40 killed in one battle to 60 in another and even 120 with the troops fighting Caesar. Elephants have always been a two edged weapon, as the Romans were aware and once they had grown used to dealing with them the legions found that fleeing elephants would either trample their own troops in flight or generate a panic in units that had put their faith in the mighty beasts. Even after years of training, elephants could remain a dangerous proposition to all troops on the battlefield. "Caesar perceiving that the ardor of his soldiers would admit of no restraint, giving "good fortune" for the word, spurred on his horse, and charged the enemy's front. On the right wing the archers and slingers poured their eager javelins without intermission upon the elephants, and by the noise of their slings and stones, so terrified these animals, that turning upon their own men, they trod them down in heaps, and rushed through the half-finished gates of the camp

. At the same time the Mauritanian horse, who were in the same wing with the elephants, seeing themselves deprived of their assistance, betook themselves to flight." [Caesar, The Civil War Book 11.83]
Numidian cavalry and infantry were used to operating with elephants and capable of stiff resistance as long as the elephants stood fast. Little thought seems to have been given to placement of theses ancient tanks as is shown by the description of a battle where the elephants are deployed in rough ground. " As soon as the enemy came close both sides charged with loud shouts. The Numidians stood their ground only as long as they thought they could rely on their elephants for protection. When they saw the beasts getting entangled in the branches of trees, with the result that they were separated and could be surrounded by the enemy, they took to their heels. Most of them, dropping their arms escaped unhurt, thanks to the proximity of a hill and the approaching dark.. Four elephants were killed and all the remaining forty killed." [Sallust, The Jugurthine War. 53]

It is interesting to note that the later battles of the Jugurthine war do not feature elephants. Perhaps the supply had dried up, or the Numidian commanders no longer trusted them. Probably a combination of both.


Numidian imitation legionnaires

Numidian slingers


Numidian tribesmen infantry


Numidian javelinman


Numidian Masaesily caavalry


Numidian spear infantry



Numidian Massylii Cavalry


Numidian desert infantry


Numidian tribe peltasts


Numidian archers



Numidian elephants


SYMBOLS

Numidian war symbols

[ahowl11]

ARMENIA

Armenia is one of the oldest countries in the world with a recorded history of about 3500 years.
The oldest known ancestors of modern Armenians, the Hayasa-Azzi tribes, also known as Proto-Armenians, were indigenous to the Armenian Highland in Eastern Anatolia. These tribes formed the Nairi tribal union, which existed

until late 13th century BC. The legendary forefather of Armenians, Hayk, famous for his battles with Babylonian ruler Bel, most likely was one of the Hayasa tribal leaders.

FACTION GOALS

Capture(number)of settlements and outlive or destroy faction/factions:Seleucid empire

why

Due to lack of historical evidence I leave this goal as I only found that Armenia was later on in war with Rome.

ARMENIAN FACTION LEADER NAMES
Orontes I Sakavakyats
Tigranes Orontid
Vahagn
Hidarnes I
Hidarnes II
Hidarnes III
Ardashir
Orontes II
Mithranes
Perdiccas
Neoptolemus Orontid
Eumenes
Orontes III
Sames
Arsames
Xerxes
Abdisares
Orontes IV
Artaxias I
Tigranes I
Artvasdes I
Tigranes II the great
Artavasdes II
Artaxias II
Tigranes III
Tigranes IV
Artavasdes III
TigranesIV
Erato
Sohaemus
Zariadres
Mithrobuzanes
Artanes

ARMENIAN CITIES




important cities:

Tušpa(or often called Van was the capital of the Armenian Kingdon under rule of Orontes I Sakavakyats)




Border map




ARMENIAN RELIGION

The pantheon of Armenian gods formed during the nucleation of the Proto-Armenian tribes that, at the initial stage of their existence, inherited the essential elements of paganism from the Proto-Indo-European tribes that inhabited the Armenian Plateau. Beliefs of the ancient Armenians were associated with the worship of many cults, mainly the cult of ancestors, the worship of heavenly bodies (the cult of the Sun, the Moon cult, the cult of Heaven) and the worship of certain creatures (lions, eagles, bulls).


Aramazd(The father of all the gods and goddesses, Aramazd created the heavens and the earth. The first two letters in his name, "AR", are the Armenian root for sun, light, and life. Worshiped as a sun-god, Aramazd was considered to be the source of earth’s fertility. His feast Am'nor, or New Year, was celebrated on March 21 in the old Armenian calendar. Aramazd's main sanctuary was one of the principal cult centers of Ancient Armenia.)


Anahit(The goddess of fertility and birth, and daughter or wife of Aramazd, Anahit is identified with Artemis and Aphrodite. "Great Lady Anahit", one of the most loved and honored Armenian goddesses, was often sculptured with a child in her hands, and with a particular hair style of Armenian women. Temples dedicated to Anahit were established in Armavir, Artashat, Ashtishat. A mountain in the Roman district of Sophene was thought to be Anahit's throne (Ator Anahta))

Vahagn(The third god of the Armenian Pantheon, Vahagn is the god of thunder and lightning, and a herculean hero noted for slaying dragons. He was also worshiped as a sun-god and a god of courage. Vahagn's main sanctuary was located in the Ashtishat (a region in ancient Armenia). Vahagn was also a god of war to whom Armenian kings and warlords would pray before engaging in battle.)

Astghik(Goddess of love, beauty and water, wife or lover of Vahagn and often sculptured without clothes. Her temple in Ashtishat was called "the room of Vahagn", where she met her lover. Astghik is still honored nowadays by Armenians worldwide by the Vartavar feast where people celebrate by Water fights.)

Nane(he daughter of Aramazd, Nane was considered thegoddess of war, motherhood and wisdom. Her cult was closely connected with that of Anahit, and her temple was located in Gavar, near Anahit's temple.)

Ara( 'Ara the Beautiful’- the god of spring, flora, agriculture, sowing and water. He is associated with Osiris, Vishnu and Dionysus, as the symbol of new life.)

Mihr(The god of light, heaven and sun. He was the son of Aramazd, the brother of Anahit and Nane. His main worship was located in Bagaharich. The pagan temple of Garni was dedicated to him)

Tir(God of wisdom, culture, science and studies, he also was an interpreter of dreams. He was the messenger of the gods and was associated with Apollo. Tir's temple was located near Artashat.)

Amanor( or Vanatur (same god with different names)Amanor was the deity of Armenian new year. His feast, Navasard (New year), was held at the end of July. His temple was located in Bhagavan.)

Tsovinar(Also called Nar, she was the goddess of rain, sea and water, though she was actually a fiery being who forced rain to fall.)

Spandaramet(The god of the dungeon and the kingdom of the dead, he was identified with the Greek god Hades.)

Hayk(Legendary archer and forefather of the Armenian people, Haik slew the Titan Bel. Haik was identified with the Sun-god Orion.)

Aray( A little-known war god.)

Barsamin(God of sky and weather, probably derived from the semitic god Baal Shamin)

Vanatur(God of hospitality.)


ARMENIAN ARMY

Armenian cataphract cavalry





Armenian chariot archer(change color)





Armenian heavy infantry(hoplites)


Armenian cataphract archers



Armenian hillmen


Armenian militia



Armenian heavy archers


Persian archer


Armenian peltasts


Eastern infantry


imitation legionaries

[ahowl11]

IBERIANS

The Iberians were a set of peoples that Greek and Roman sources identified with that name in the eastern and southern coasts of the Iberian peninsula at least from the 6th century BC.

Were made up of different but related tribes whose presence stretches from the south of the peninsula and runs in an arc along the east and into the south of France.There were about 23 or more Iberian tribes.

The Iberians lived in isolated communities based on a tribal organization. They also had a knowledge of metalworking, including bronze, and agricultural techniques. Among the most important goods traded by the Iberians were precious metals, particularly tin and copper.


Iberian women were charged with domestic tasks, husbandry of small livestock and cultivated the land together with the men. In some tribes, they participated in the assemblies, and their decision was considered in important issues. Sometimes, women fought together with the men. In the Iberian society, women could also be priestesses. The famous Iberian carving called Lady of Elx, dated from the 3rd century BC and made of limestone, could represent a priestess. The woman wears several collars, and large wheel shaped earrings. A belt hides the hair, probably made into a bun.

FACTION GOALS

Capture(number)of settlements and destroy or outlive faction/factions:none

why?

In rtw they have no faction goals!(actually they have-in a longer campaign for every faction-hold 50 provinces and Rome)

As almost every other faction in that period they were in war when rome came to conquer them.Also:

Wars between tribes were frequent. Romans managed to conquest the Iberian fortresses only after long sieges (months, even years) that left hungry and exhausted the besieged warriors. Romans built a palisade around the circumvented fortress, which impeded the beleaguered Iberians to break the circle looking for help.!


IBERIAN CITIES

Iberian tribes and some costal cities





So these two maps show Iberian peninsula with their tribes and Iberian tribe cities(that as you can see weren't only on the Iberian peninsula).But this also show the time before Cartaghinian conquest(or occupation,how do prefere).But it also shows time before Numidian conquest as Tingis(later became the most important treading centar of the western part of Numidian kingdom because the city had the most important port in the kingdom)...That is also maybe the explaination why can you smetimes see in RTW Spanish/Iberians cross the Gibraltar gate and conquere the city of Tingis-of corse,because it was their before.


IBERIAN RELIGION

Iberians worshiped many deities of natural type (Sun, Moon, various stars) in whose honor they maintained fires in certain promontories, capes and islands. Another type of sanctuaries were visited by people offering bronze figurines (exvotos) to the god living inside the sanctuaries, asking for supernatural help in various tasks, for curing a disease or simply to thank for received favors.

Iberian mythology would encompass all the sacred myths of the cultures in the region of Iberian peninsula.They include Galician mythology, Asturian mythology, Cantabrian mythology, Catalan mythology and Basque mythology.

So gods will be from different tribal mythology instead all gods of one tribe:

Lurbira-goddess of Earth

Eacus-God of water

Eate-storm god

Mari-goddess of weather-she controls the drought and the rain

Gaizkin-god of disease and plague

Aide-goddess of the air-She could manifest herself in both good (gentle breeze) and evil (storm wind) forms.

Ataegina-goddess of spring and seasonality.

Cariociecus-god of war

Euri-god of the rain.Euri was also believed to control the reincarnation of the soul and was the protector of crops.

Inguma-God of dreams.He was regarded as a malevolent force who entered houses at night and plagued the residents with nightmares. He also kills people while sleeping.

Orko-god of tunder


IBERIAN ARMY

Iberians were skilled riders and each tribe had a cavalry unit.


Iberian warriors wore a woolen tunic, girt at the waist with a broad belt. The hem of the tunic was often dyed purple. Armour was usually only worn by noblemen and included mail, leather, lamellar and quilted variants. Some warriors wore armour woven from tough grasses. They protected their heads with bronze helmets, and many tribesmen wore highly distinctive headgear made from sinew.


Iberian infantry

Ancient Roman writers made two distinctions between Iberian infantry; scutarii carried the broad oval shield (scutum) and generally fought as heavy infantry, whilst caetrati used a circular leather buckler (caetra).
Most warriors used spears as their primary weapons - some carried spears and javelins. The Gladius Hispaniensis was a short stabbing sword which was so devastatingly effective that Rome eventually duplicated the design and made it the primary melee weapon of her legionaries. Another fearsome sword, the falcata, was a recurved sabre that was especially popular with Iberian warriors. It was easily capable of crushing helmets and lopping off limbs, and the sword skills of Iberian warriors made them fearsome opponents. Most warriors also carried a broad triangular dagger.

Balearic Slingers

Slingers from the Balearic Islands were famed for their skill. They commenced training at a very early age - their fathers would place a piece of bread atop a pole, and the child was not allowed to eat until he had knocked it down with a successful shot from his sling. Balearic slingers used three slings of different lengths - some hurled small but deadly projectiles of baked clay or lead from long range, whilst others hurled fist-sized rocks at closer quarters.
The Iberians also achieved great renown as horsemen. In fact, such was the repute of Spanish warriors that they formed a large part of Hannibal Barcas mercenary army in the 2nd Punic War.

Iberian Tactics and Training

Their tactics emphasised raids and swift ambushes, followed by rapid withdrawals into wild and broken terrain. All who faced the Iberians found their methods of waging war unnerving. If forced into open battle, they fought in a loose, non-linear formation, attacking and withdrawing, making feints and then attacking somewhere else. This could apparently go on for days.

Training started early in a warriors youth, and skills were honed in raids on neighbouring tribes and the performance of gymnastic exercises. Being a proud people, warriors frequently settled disputes between themselves with honour duels, which often ended with the death of one of the combatants. If facing capture, many warriors took lethal poison rather than fall into the hands of enemies: extracted from the plant Ranunculus sardonia, it caused the dead man's lower jaw to set in a rictus resembling a sardonic grin -an especially unnerving sight.
Iberians served in the armies of Carthage, and later in Rome's legions.


Iberian Vettones militia infantry


Iberian spearman



Iberian velites


Iberian spear militia


Celtiberi light skirmishes



Astures heavy spearman


Celtici infantry


Iberian scutarii



Iberian heavy javelins


Iberian slingers


Balearic slingers


Celtic slingers


Long shield cavalry



Iberian infantry


Callaeci barbarian infantry


+ add this:

Round shield cavalry
Wardogs
Town militia
Naked fanatics


IBERIAN WEAPONS-ARMOR

The main weapons were the bow and the arrows, falcata,shield, helmet and a large spear (the Iberian sword and spear would later be adopted by Romans). The horse must have been introduced to Iberians by Indo-Europeans populations around 1,000 BC. When Romans conquered the peninsula, they introduced units of Iberian chivalry in the Roman army


Iberian flacata






Iberian round shield

[ahowl11]

MACEDON

was an ancient kingdom, centered in the northeastern part of the Greek peninsula,bordered by Epirus to the west,Paeonia to the north, the region of Thrace to the east and Thessaly to the south. The rise of Macedon, from a small kingdom at the periphery of Classical Greek affairs, to one which came to dominate the entire Hellenic world, occurred under the reign of Philip II. For a brief period, after the conquests of Alexander the Great, it became the most powerful state in the world, controlling a territory that included the former Persian empire, stretching as far as the Indus river; at that time it inaugurated the Hellenistic period of Ancient Greek civilization.

Ancient Macedonians have fought between themselves for territory.


The ancient Macedonians were an arrogant nation. Every spring the Ancient Macedonians were starting war with the neighboring tribes. Main targets were Illyria and the coastal Greek (Hellenistic) colonies (by this fact no one can say that the ancient Macedonians were a Greek people).


FACTION GOALS

Capture(number)of settlements and destroy or outlive faction/factions:The greek cities,Thrace,Illyrians

Why?

The greek cities & Thrace:"The Paionians and the Thracians had sacked and invaded the eastern regions of the country, while the Athenians had landed, at Methoni on the coast, a contingent under a Macedonian pretender called Argeus."."Using diplomacy, Philip the II pushed back Paionians and Thracians promising tributes, and crushed the 3,000 Athenian hoplites"

Illyrians:"Philip had married Audata, great-granddaughter of the Illyrian king of Dardania, Bardillys.However, this did not prevent him from marching against them in 358 and crushing them in a ferocious battle in which some 7,000 Illyrians died "


FACTION LEADER NAMES

Most important leaders:

Perseus(last king of Macedonia.After Perseus's defeat at the Battle of Pydna in 167 BC, Macedon was divided into four republics under Roman domination)

Alexander III the Great(by the age of thirty was the creator of one of the largest empires in ancient history, stretching from the Ionian Sea to the Himalayas.He was undefeated in battle and is considered one of the most successful commanders of all time)

Philip II( Father of Alexander the great.His most important innovation was doubtless the introduction of the phalanx infantry corps, armed with the famous sarissa, an exceedingly long spear, at the time the most important army corps in Macedonia..Philip received a military and diplomatic education from Epaminondas, became eromenos of Pelopidas,and lived with Pammenes, who was an enthusiastic advocate of the Sacred Band of Thebes.-click on it to see)

Perdiccas I(first king of Macedon,founder of Aegae-firs Macedonian capital)

Other leaders:

Karanus
Koinos
Tyrimmas
Argaeus I
Philip I
Aeropus I
Alcetas I
Amyntas I
Alexander I
Alcetas II
Perdiccas II
Archelaus
Craterus
Orestes
Archelaus II
Amyntas II
Pausanias
Amyntas III
Alexander II
Perdiccas III
Amyntas IV
Antipater
Philip III Arrhidaeus
Alexander IV
Polyperchon
Cassander
Antipater II
Alexander V
Demetrius I Poliorcetes
Lysimachus
Meleager
Antigonaus II Gonatas
Demetrius II Aetolicus
Antigonus III Doson
Philip V


MACEDONIAN CITIES

Macedonian border map-strating position-Larissa and Corinth not under Macedonian rule!




more greek cities


maps of Macedon showing the position of the first capital-Aegae(first map-red)





Most important cities:

Aegae(First Macedonian capital)

Pella(second macedonian capital-Transferring the capital of the kingdom from Aegae to Pella in around 400 B. C., King Archelaus made it the greatest of all Macedonian cities. Grandiosity characterized the whole structure of the city. The palace complex alone, situated on the hill dominating the city, occupied 60.000 sq. meters. )

Pydna(The first settlement of the regionand important major port)
MACEDONIAN RELIGION

The Macedonians might have originally possessed their own, native pantheon which was later Hellenized through the adoption of Greek deities.Thaulos (god of war), Gyga (later equated with Athena), Gozoria (goddess of hunting), Zeirene (goddess of love), Xandos (god of light), Totoes (god of sleep), Darron (god of healing), Arestos (local version of Heracles), Bedu (god of water or air).

The Macedonians worshipped the Olympic Pantheon, especially Zeus, Artemis, Heracles and Dionysus:


Zeus-Father of God and men,he is the god of sky and thunder.

Artemis-goddess of thehunz,wild animals,wilderness,childbirth,virginity and young girls, bringing and relieving disease in women.

Heracles-Son of Zeus.He was a demigod(half god-half human)worshiped by the people of ancient greece

Dionysus-god of grape harwest,winemaking and wine.


MACEDONIAN ARMY

Used alot of phalanx(sarissa equiped) units!


Macedonian chalkispides(more black color on them!)



Companion cavalry


Macedonian heavy phalangites


Macedonian hypaspists or macedonian sword infantry


Peltasts


Macedonian armored hoplites


Royal pikeman


Levy pikeman



archers


Macedonian heavy cavalry


militia hoplites


levy hoplites(give them black clothes)


militia cavalry


militia pikeman(new unit)


macedonian elite pikeman



WEAPONS-ARMOR

Round shield



Macedonian shield symbols






Helmet shapes

[ahowl11]

DACIA

Was the land inhabited by the Dacians or Gatae as they were known by the Greeks.

They became independent in 1-2 BC,before that they were part of Thrace!

Dacians (or Getae) were North Thracian tribes!


FACTION GOALS

Capture(number)of settlements and destroy or outlive faction/factions:Germans,Sarmatians,Thrace

Why?

Thrace-"Ancient chronicles recorded Dromichaetes victory over Lysimachus, King of Thrace, former general of Alexander the Great who held a fortress at Tirizis".


Dacian tribes had both peaceful and military encounters with other neighboring tribes, such as Celts(mostly Gauls), Ancient Germanics, Sarmatians and Scythians, but were most influenced by the Ancient Greeks and Romans.


DACIAN LEADERS

Important leaders:

Moskon(had close relations with the local Greek colonies and adopted the Greek style of administration.)

Burebista(Under his rule Dacia was strongest)

Other leaders:

Cothelas
Dual
Rhemaxos
Dromichaetes
Zalmodegicus
Rubobostes
Oroles
Dicomes
Rholes
Dapyx
Cotiso
Zyraxes
Deceneus
Comosicus
Scorillo
Coson
Duras
Decebalus

DACIAN CITIES

Border map of Dacia





Sarmizegetusa(was the capital and the most important military, religious and political center of Dacians. Erected on top of a 1,200 meter high mountain, the fortress was the core of the strategic defensive system in the Orăştie Mountains.)-as you can see I couldn't find the exact position on the map-I couldn't find better maps of Dacian that these.

Dacians used stone walls!!!!

Dacian wall



DACIAN RELIGION

Couldn't find more gods that aren't already thracian!

Zamolxis-Most highest god of the Dacins,he was the god of the sky and the rain.

Bendis-goddess of the moon and of the night.

Derzelas-the god of the vital energy.


dacian column bases used to support a temple



DACIAN ARMY

Was influenced by both roman and greek armies.


Warband(add some hats to the head)



Flaxmen(you can add clothes so that these are different from the thracians)



dacian phalanx




Heavy cavalry


Dacian skirmishes


elite skirmishes



Dacian noble cavalry


Naked fanatics



Barbarian chiftain cavalry


Dacian light horsemen


Noble spearman


Noble swordsmen


getai forest warband


Dacian archer warband


Heavy archers(put then some helmet like these choosen archers)


dacian militia hoplites



Getae slingers

[ahowl11]

SELEUCID EMPIRE

was created out of the eastern conquests of the former Macedonian Empire of Alexander the Great.

The Seleucid Empire was a major centre of Hellenistic culture which maintained the preeminence of Greek customs and where a Macedonian political elite dominated, mostly in the urban areas.


FACTION GOALS

Capture(number)settlements and destroy or outlive faction/factions:Armenia,Atropatene Kingdom,Macedon,Thrace,Ptolemaic Empire

why?

Armenia-"invasion on the Empire by Armenian king Tigranes the Great"

Atropatene-"Much of the eastern part of the empire was conquered by the Parthians(that later occupied Atropatene) under Mithridates I of Parthia"

Macedon & Thrace-"Seleucus expanded his control to encompass western Anatolia. He hoped further to take control of Lysimachus' lands in Europe – primarily Thrace and even Macedonia itself, but was assassinated by Ptolemy Ceraunus on landing in Europe."

Ptolemaic Empire-Syrian wars(war between the Seleucids and Ptolemaic empire)

SELEUCID LEADER NAMES

Important leaders:

Seleucus I Nicator(founder of the seleucid empire,one of Alexander the Great's generals)

Seleucus IV Philopator(Thrace added to the Seleucid Empire; Seleucus is governor.Seleucus besieges Rome's ally Pergamon, captures the Roman commander Lucius Cornelius Scipio, takes part in the Battle of Magnesia (Roman victory)).


Other leaders:

Antiochus I Soter(went in war with Ptolemaic empire)
Antiochus II Theos
Seleucus II Callinicus
Seleucus III Keraunos
Antiochus III the Great
Antiochus IV Epiphanes
Antiochus V Eupator
Demetrius I Soter
Alexander I Balas
Demetrius II Nicator
Antiochus VI Dionysus
Diodotus Tryphon
Antiochus VII Sidetes
Alexander II Zabinas
Cleopatra Thea(Queen)
Seleucus V
Antiochus VIII Grypus
Antiochus IX Cyzicenus
Demetrius III Eucaerus
Seleucus VI Epiphanes Nicator
Antiochus XI Epiphanes Philadelphus
Philip I Philadelphus
Antiochus X Eusebes Philopator
Antiochus XII Dionysus
Anthiocus XIII Asiaticus
Philip II Philoromaeus


SELEUCID CITIES

Border map



Citie map-shows cities of the greek world





Important cities:

Babylon(One of the wonders is situated in this city-The hanging gardens of Babylon)

Seleucia(Seleucia, as such, was founded in about 305 BC, when an earlier city was enlarged and dedicated as the first capital of the Seleucid Empire by Seleucus I Nicator.Standing at the confluence of the Tigris River with a major canal from the Euphrates, Seleucia was placed to receive traffic from both great waterways)

SELEUCID RELIGION

Two major religions were present in the Empire-Zoroastrianism and Greek paganism.Other religious groups were present in the empire,although not as prominent,Included hindus and jews(after they conquere Damascus and the southern part to Jerusalem).The administration was very tolernt of various religions.In order to preserve order,the empire will have to accept haveing multiple religious groups within their border to promote national unity
and prevent rebellions.


Apollo-was the highest greek god worshiped in Seleucid Empire.he was the god of beauty and Sun.

Zoroaster-shrine dedicated to the founder of Aveste( like in RTW-Partiha)

Hephaestus-he was the god of technology,blacksmiths,craftsmen,artisans,sculptors,metals,metallurgy,fire and volcanoes.

Askelpios-God of medicine and healing

SELEUCID ARMY

As with many of the Hellenistic states that formed after the death of Alexander the Great, the Seleucid armies were based on the Macedonian model and its troops were primarily of Greco-Macedonian origin. Since the Seleucid realm covered much of the eastern portions of the former Persian Empire, its kings had to rely on Eastern people to man its army. They relied on troops that used the Macedonian phalanx, archers from the Eastern peoples and cavalry. Also, the Seleucids had a supply of Indian war elephants which was used to cause fear amongst their enemies. Like the Ptolemies with their wealth, the Seleucid kings had managed to recruit all kinds of people as mercenaries from the Indians living on the Indus to the people of Crete and Galatia. With their wars against Rome, the Seleucids attempted to create units of troops that copied the Roman legions. By 63 B.C.E.,
the Seleucid Empire along with its army had disbanded. Many of the heavy cavalry was rumored to join the Roman armies in Asia.



Seleucid Gastraphetes



Silver shield pikeman


Levy Phalangites


Seleucid pikeman



Agyraspid Legionnaries


Militia hoplites


militia cavalry


levy hoplites


skirmishers


Imitation legionnaires


Silver shield chalkispides




Armored war elephant


Seleucid sword infantry



Seleucid heavy peltasts(give them standard seleucid grey color)


Seleucid heavy cavalry



eastern slingers


Forest elephant



Royal pikeman


Scythed chariots


Greek archers


Indian Elephant


eastern archers


cataphract heavy cavalry

[ahowl11]

PTOLEMAIC EMPIRE

It was founded when Ptolomey I Soter declared himself Pharoh of Egypt, creating a powerful Hellenistic state stretching from southern Syria to Cyrene and south to Nubia.


Alexandria became the capital city and a center of Greek culture and trade. To gain recognition by the native Egyptian populace, they named themselves the successors to the Pharaohs. The later Ptolemies took on Egyptian traditions by marrying their siblings, had themselves portrayed on public monuments in Egyptian style and dress, and participated in Egyptian religious life.


FACTION GOALS

Capture(number)settlements and destroy or outlive faction/factions:Seleucid empire,Nabataean Kingdom,The Greek cities(or just some cities like Corinth,Sparta,Athens and other)

Why?

Seleucid empire-Syrian wars(wars between the Ptolemaic empire and the Seleucid empire)

Nabataean Kingdom-"Some Nabataeans indulged in piracy on the Red Sea, profitably attacking the merchant ships of Ptolemaic Egypt."-so the Ptolemaic empire probably didn't like the Nabataeans,eventhough Cleopatra was an ally of the Nabataean Kingdom.

Greek cities-"in 309 BC war broke out again(between Ptolemaics and Seleucids), and Ptolemy occupied Corinth and other parts of Greece, although he lost Cyprus after a sea-battle in 306 BC."


PTOLEMIC FACTION LEADERS

Sometimes two kings would rule over the empire like for example:Cleopatra III and Ptolemy IX Soter Lathyros ruled together,just that you know(for information).
Important Leaders:

Ptolemy I Soter(Founder of the Ptolemaic empire.Within a few years of rule he had gained control of Libya, Coele-Syria (including Judea), and Cyprus)


Other leaders:

Ptolemy II Philadelphus
Ptolemy III Euergetes
Ptolemy IV Philopator
Ptolemy V Epiphanes
Ptolemy VI Philometor
Ptolemy VIII Euergetes Physcon
Cleopatra III
Ptolemy IX Soter Lathyros
Ptolemy X Alexander
Ptolemy XI Alexander
Ptolemy XII Auletes
Berenice IV
Cleopatra VII Philopator
Ptolemy XIII
Ptolemy XIV
Ptolemy XV Caesarion
Cleopatra V Tryphaena
Cleopatra VI Tryphaena
Arsione IV

PTOLEMAIC CITIES

During the period of Egypt under the Ptolemaic Dynasty, the construction of many Greek settlements throughout their Empire to either Hellenize new conquered peoples or reinforce the area. In Egypt, there were only three main Greek cities which were Alexandria, Naucratis, and Ptolemais.

Border map


Important cities

Alexandria(Capital of the Ptolemaic empire.A major Mediterranean port of Egypt, in ancient times and still today.Contained at that time the largest library in the world. Among other thinkers associated with the Library or other Alexandrian patronage were the mathematician Euclid (ca. 300 BC), the inventor Archimedes (287 BC – c. 212 BC), and the polymath Eratosthenes ca. 225 BC.

Naucratis(commercial importance)


Position of Naucratis(Highlited in red)



PTOLEMAIC RELIGION

In trying to find a religious cult that would unite both Egyptian and Hellenic subjects, Ptolemy Soter crafted the Isis cult as it would be introduced into Greco-Roman society. Osiris was renamed Serapis and identified with a variety of Egyptian and Hellenic gods (Osiris, Apis, Dionysus, Hades). He became a god of healing and the underworld. Isis was identified with Hellenic deities such as Demeter or Aphrodite. Greek iconography was introduced to the cult which made it visually appealing to the Hellenes.

Representations of Greek gods took on new forms. The popular image of a nude Aphrodite, for example, reflects the increased secularization of traditional religion. Also prominent in Hellenistic art are representations of Dionysos, the god of wine and legendary conqueror of the East, as well as those of Hermes, the god of commerce. In strikingly tender depictions, Eros, the Greek personification of love, is portrayed as a young child.

Serapis-god of healing and underworld.

Isis-goddess of love and hunt.Isis became the protector of family (especially women), the protector of newborns, the goddess of fertility and good fortune, and the goddess whose magic could cheat Fate and Death.She was also thought to be a protector of sailors, and sailors sailing from the great port of Alexandria took her cult all over the Mediterranean.

Dionysus- god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine

Hermes-messenger of gods.He is also the god of the merchants,travelers,thieves,pastors,poets,musicians and athleticians.


PTOLEMAIC ARMY

Ptolemaic Egypt, along with the other Hellenistic states outside of the Greek mainland after Alexander the Great, had its armies based on the Macedonian phalanx and featured Macedonian and native troops fighting side by side.


The Ptolemaic military was filled with diverse peoples from across their territories. At first most of the military was made up of a pool of Greek settlers who, in exchange for military service, were given land grants. These made up the majority of the army.


With the many wars the Ptolemies were involved in, their pool of Greek troops dwindled and there was little Greek immigration from the mainland so they were kept in the royal bodyguard and as generals and officers. Native troops were looked down upon and distrusted due to their disloyalty and frequent tendency to aid local revolts. However, with the decline of royal power, they gained influence and became common in the military.


The Ptolemies used the great wealth of Egypt to their advantage by hiring vast amounts of mercenaries from across the known world. Black Ethiopians are also known to have served in the military along with the Galatians, Mysians and others. Jews were particularly imported as military settlers and made up as much as twenty percent of the military.


With their vast amount of territory spread along the Eastern Mediterranean such as Cyrus, Crete, the islands of the Aegean and even Thrace, the Ptolemies required a large navy to defend these far-flung strongholds from enemies like the Seleucids and Macedonians.


More yellow color on this troops

Machimoi swordsmen or native swordsmen


Ptolemaic heavy peltasts



Machimoi phalanx or Phalanx pikeman


Ptolemaic archers(yellow color)



Ethiopian archer


Militia hoplites


Ptolemaic royal pikeman



Native slingers



Native archers


Judean slingers


Greek cavalry


Ptolemaic heavy cavalry


light peltasts

Nubian cavalry


Native phalanx

Macedonian heavy cavalry

[ahowl11]

GALLIC TRIBES
Were a Celtic people living in Gaul, the region roughly corresponding to what is now France,Belgium,Switzerland and Northern Italy, from the Iron age through the Roman period. They mostly spoke the Continental Celtic language called Gaulish.

Each tribe had a council of elders, and initially a king.


Although the tribes were moderately stable political entities, Gaul as a whole tended to be politically divided, there being virtually no unity among the various tribes. Only during particularly trying times, such as the invasion of Caesar, could the Gauls unite under a single leader like Vercingetorix.


Position of Gaulish tribes in Europe and Asia Minor




FACTION GOALS

capture(number)settlements and destroy or outlive fation/factions-Dacia,Thrace,Illyria,Rome

Why?

Dacia & Thrace & Illyria-"The Celts made their first expedition under the command of Cambaules; they got as far as Thrace, but despaired of the way ahead as they realized there were only a few of them and they were no match for the Greeks in terms of numbers.When they decided a second time to carry arms against foreign countries (driven most of all by veterans of Cambaules' campaign who had tasted piracy and fallen in love with the loot and rape of the world), they came in a mass of infantry and a very considerable throng of cavalry as well. The commanders divided the army into three parts, each to advance into a different country.Cerethrius was to lead against the Thracians and Triballians,while Brennus and Acichorius commanded the advance into Paeonia; Bolgius marched against the Macedonians and Illyrians and undertook a struggle with Ptolemy, who at that time was king of Macedonia."

Rome-this is clear to all why is Rome


GALLIC LEADER NAMES

Important leadres:

Ambiorix-leader of a Belgic tribe(Belgae) of north-eastern Gaul (Gallia Belgica), where modern Belgium is located.He became a Belgian national hero because of his resistance against Julius Caesar, as written in Caesar's Commentarii de Bello Gallico.

Vercingetorix-was the chiftain of the Arverni tribe, who united the Gauls in an ultimately unsuccessful revolt against Roman forces during the last phase of Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars.

Dumnorix-was a chieftain of the Aedui, a Celtic tribe in gaul in the 1st century B.C. He was strongly against alliance with the Romans, particularly Julius Caesar who sparred with him on several occasions.

Other leadres:

Prasutagus
Rianorix
Segovax
Senaculus
Sennianus
Tasciovanus
Taximagulus
Togodumnus
Cerethreus
Eporedorix
Vercassivellaunos
Bolgios
Orgetorix
Casticos
Leonnorius
Autaritus
Aneroestes
Ortiagon
Paidopolites
Sinorix
Brogitarix
Amyntas
Gaulatus
Boduognatus
Correus
Indutiomarus
Cingetorix
Catuvolcus
Divico
Viridomarus
Catamantaloedus
Celtillus
Camulogenus
Litaviccus
Liscus
Convictolitarus
Cotus
Ambicatus
Bellovesus
Segovesus
Cambaules
Acichorius
Combutix
Orestorius
Lutarius
Solovettius
Nammeius
Verucloetius
Cavarillus
Surus
Valetiacus
Sedullos
Epasnactos
Donnus
Cottius
DiviciacusS
Deiotarus
Tasgetius
Dumnacus
Duratius
Lucterius
Drappes
Vindovix
Cavarinus
Moritasgus
Acco
Commius
Cichorius
Olyndicus


GALLIC CITIES

this is the best map of the cities I could find



Important cities


Gregovia-chief town and strong fortress of the Arverni.

Alesia-capital of the Mandubii, one of the Gaulish tribes allied with the mighty Aedui


Gaul province map


GALLIC RELIGION

The Gauls practiced a form of animism, ascribing human characteristics to lakes, streams, mountains, and other natural features and granting them a quasi-divine status. Also, worship of animals was not uncommon; the animal most sacred to the Gauls was the BOAR(that's why it appears in RTW faction symbols and banners), which can be found on many Gallic military standards, much like the Roman eagle.

Celtic/Gallic religion was nature based (trees, water, etc.), what neopagans now call "earth spirituality".


Teutates-god of trade and protector of the tribes

Dis Pater-god of agriculture and the harvest time.

Arduinna-goddess of forest and hunting

Andarta- goddess of fertility. Andarta was the patron goddess of the Vocantii tribe. She should not be confused with the British goddess of war, Andrasta.

Aveta-goddess of birth. She was also the patron goddess of midwifery.

Belenus-God of fire and Sun.Belenus was a popular deity, particular in Italy, Noricum (Switzerland and Austria) and Gaul (France).

Borvo-god of healing. Borvo was also identified with therapeutic spring and mineral bath.

Brigindo-goddess of arts, crafts, fertility, and possibly of war. Her name means "Exalted One" or "High One".Also called Brigandu,she was a popular goddess throughout the Celtic world.

Cernunnos-god of nature, and probably of fertility of animals and agriculture. Cernunnos was also god of grains and fruits.

Lenus-was the Celtic god of healing, worshipped by the Celts throughout Continental Europe, but particularly by the Treveri, where inscriptions were found.

Esus-god associated with blood-sacrifice and hanging.Blood sacrifices were made to the god among the Ligurian and Treveri tribes.

Lugus-god of light or of the sun.Several cities were named after him, Lugdunum (Lyon) in southern France, Lugdunum Batavorum (Leiden) in the Netherland, and Luguvallium (Carlisle) in northern England.

Nantosuelta-goddess of nature, valley and streams.Her symbol was also the raven, which linked her with the dead and the Underworld.

Ogminos-god of strength.His equivalent was Hercules.

Rigisamus-god of war.

Rosmerta-goddess of fertility and abundance.

Rudiobus-god of the horses

Sequana-river goddess. Sequana was a tutelary goddess of the Sequanae tribe, who occupied territory between the Saône, Rhône and Rhine rivers. Sequana was also a goddess of healing.

Sirona-Goddess of healing springs.

Smetrios-god of war. Smetrios was the tutelary deity of the Treveri.

Sucellus-god of agriculture,forest,alcoholic drinks,feast and providence.He was particularly worshiped by the Boii and Arverni.

Taranis-god of rain, storm and thunder.

Teutates-god of war, wealth and fertility.

Vosegus-was an eponym or personification of the Vosges, a region with mountains and forests in eastern France. Vosegus was a god of nature or the animals in that region. Vosegus had been depicted carrying a pig under his arm.


GALLIC ARMY

Gaullic light cavalry




Celtic heavy infantry




Celtic light cavalry





Gaullic swordsmen




Aedui heavy swordsmen




Spear warband




Arverni Heavy chariots


Naked fanatics






Celtic archer warband




Sword warband





Gaullic heavy infantry




Celtic peltasts




gaullic peltasts




Gaulic light infantry




Gaullic fanatic axeman






Celtic noble cavalry




Heavy slingers




Gaullic slingers




Gaullic archer warband


Forester warband




Gaullic spear warband


Skirmish warband





Celtic spear warband


Gaullic heavy spearman(use the choosen swordsmen-give them a spear and a oval shield)






Gaullic light spearman




Celtic axeman


Gaullic heavy axeman




Celtic slingers




SHIELD TYPES


WEAPONS

Sling




helmet,suit and shield


Celtic iron age horn helmet




Celtic sword




Celtic shield










other pictures

[ahowl11]

BRITANNIC TRIBES

Were of Celtic origin!

They were capable of advanced mathematical calculations and laid out stone circles (ovals actually) with such accuracy that they functioned as calendars. Many circles still exist today. However, ancient Britons have left us no written records, so we have to guess much of what went on.

In due course, neighbouring tribes joined together to form local kingdoms. As the centuries passed, stone weapons became bronze ones, and then iron (each progressively sharper or stronger than the last). Excavations at royal grave sites have unearthed swords, spears, helmets, and shields crafted to an extremely high standard, but the ordinary folk had to make do with whatever they could get.


The map on the left shows all the major Celtic (Brythonic) tribes of the British mainland.



It should be noted that only the main Brythonic (ie P-Celtic-speaking) tribes of the mainland are shown. There were several smaller tribes whose existence were known and who were either isolated geographically from the main tribes, or allied to them but these are not presented here.

One of the main sources of information about these tribes is from the Roman writer, Tacitus and much of our information about the tribes of Scotland derives from the geographical writings of Ptolemy. However, both authors were writing from a Roman viewpoint and their works have to be treated with some caution when it comes to their descriptions of the tribes, their beliefs and attributes.


Important tribes:

Trinovantes

The Trinovantes are the first British tribe to be mentioned by a Roman author, appearing in Caesar's account of his invasion of 54 BC. By this date they seem to have been already involved in a power struggle with the neighbouring tribes to the west who were to be forged into the kingdom of the Catuvellauni under Tasciovanus. This group shared the same ways of life and religious practices as the Catuvellauni and Cantiaci.


They used coins, cremated their dead, ate from plates and drank from cups, They became part of the large kingdom established by the rules of the Catuvellauni.

The king Cunobelinus essentially absorbed the two tribes into one larger kingdom and he or his predecessors, established Colchester as a new royal site on the same model as St Albans. It was Colchester, that became the target for the Roman Emperor Claudius' invasion in AD43.

After the Roman Conquest, the Trinovantes were restored as tribal entity in the form of a civitas (an administrative unit or county) within the new Roman Province. The capital of the civitas was the Roman city of Colchester, which was originally founded as colony for retired Roman soldiers.

Catuvellauni

The Catuvellauni were the tribe that lived in the modern counties of Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and southern Cambridgeshire. Their territory also probably included tribes in what is today Buckinghamshire and parts of Oxfordshire. The tribal name possibly means 'good in battle'.

The Catuvellauni existed as a tribe at the time of Julius Caesar, but in the following years became an extremely powerful group. Their first known king was Tasciovanus, who is known from the coins he minted with his name on them. He founded a royal and ritual centre at Verulamium, modern St Albans in about AD10. There were several other large settlements or clusters of villages in their territory, such as at Baldock and Welwyn.

Before this time, the Catuvellauni, Trinovantes and Cantiaci were very different from other British tribes. They had been using coins for at least a century, adopted the same way of burying the dead as was practised in northern France, and eat and dressed in ways more common in France than other parts of Briton. Tasciovanus successors created a large kingdom through conquest and alliance that included the Trinovantes and Cantiaci.

The most successful king was Cunobelinus (Cymbeline), but after his death in the late 30's AD, his kingdom was beset by rivalries between his successors. This was the excuse used by the Roman Emperor Claudius to conquer southern Britain in 43 AD. The Catuvellauni were one of the most pro-Roman of British peoples who very quickly and peacefully adopted Roman lifestyles and Roman rule.

A very rich grave of a pro-Roman Catuvellaunian ruler who lived at the time of the Roman Conquest has been excavated at Folly Lane, St Albans. They became one of the first civitas in the new province, Verulamium becoming one of the first and most successful cities in Roman Britain.

Silures

Several Roman authors including Pliny, Ptolemy and Tacitus mention this tribe and later civitas (administrative unit in a Roman province). Their territory was south east Wales - the Brecon Beacons and south Welsh valleys. A people of the mountains and valleys, we know relatively little about how they lived.

Like the other tribes of the Welsh Mountains, they were difficult for the Romans to conquer and control. For a time in the period around AD 45-57, they led the British opposition to the Roman advance westwards.

Tacitus describes them as a strong and warlike nation, and for ten years or more the Romans fought to contain, rather than conquer them. Although defeated and occupied by the early 60's, their bitter resistance may explain the late grant of self governing civitas status to them only in the early 2nd century.

The capital was established at a previously unoccupied site at Caerwent and was given the name Venta Silrum. Tacitus described them as swarthy and curly-haired, and suggested their ancestors might be from Spain because of the similarities in appearance with some peoples in Spain. However, there is no evidence to suggest any genetic links between south Wales and parts of Spain.

BRITANNIC TRIBES GOALS

Capture(number)of settlements and destroy or outlive faction/factions:Gaullic tribes

I left like it was in rome total war.i did find some information that Britannic tribes did invaded Gaulish and German teritories,but with no strong evidence like in past posts.

BRITANNIC TRIBES LEADER NAMES

List of kings before Britannia was occupied by the Romans:
Brutus
Locrinus
Gwendolen
Maddan
Mempricius
Ebraucus
Brutus greenshield
Leil
Rud Hud Hudibras
Bladud
Leir
Cordelia(queen)
Caneglasus
Rivallo
Gargastius
Sisillius I
Kimarcus
Gorboduc
Ferrex
Porrex
Dunvallo Molmutius
Dyfnwal Moelmut
Belinus
Brennius
Gurguit Barbtruc
Guithelin
Marcia(queen)
Sisillius II
Kinarius
Danius
Morvidus
Gorbonianus
Archgallo
Elidurus
Ingenius
Peredurus
Marganus
Enniaunus
Idvallo
Runo
Gerennus
Catellus
Millus
Porrex II
Cherin
Fulgenius
Edadus
Andragius
Urianus
Eliud
Cledaucus
Clotenus
Gurgintius
Merianus
Bledudo
Cap
Oenus
Sisllius III
Beldgabred
Archmail
Eldol
Redon
Redechius
Samuil
Penessil
Pir
Capoir
Digueillus
Beli Mawr
Lludd Llaw Ereint(the silver handed)
Cassivellaunus
Bran Fendigaid(the Blessed)
Cunobelinus
Guiderius

BRITANNIC TRIBES CITIES

Most cities were situated on the hill.The one element of Iron Age warfare still visible today are the hill forts. These consist of a concentric series of ditches and banks, the latter surmounted by stout fences, enclosing the summit of a large hill. Sometimes, the entrance followed a winding route through the banks to expose an attacker to a constant rain of missiles.


BRITANNIC TRIBES RELIGION

Affalach-god of the underworld.

Anu-Mother-Goddess,goddess of fertility,the wife of the Sun God, Belenos, and considered to be the ancestor of all the Gods.She was also patroness of springs and fountains.

Belenos-Sun god

Liyr-Sea god.According to the Welsh, he was chief of the gods.

Gofannon-smith god

Bran-god of regeneration

Maponos-god of youth

Modron-goddess of motherhood.

Nantosuelta-goddess of the home.

Nemetona-goddess of the sacred grow.

Nodens-god with health & healing

Sucellos-god of agriculture


BRITANNIC TRIBES ARMY(Many blue paintings on units or tattoos!!!)

Warpaint:According to Caesar, "omnes vero se Britanni vitro inficiunt, quod caeruleum efficit colorem". This translates to: "All the Britons stain themselves with woad, which produces a blue colour". This passage is the most famous evidence for Ancient British warpaint.








Tattoos : Herodian writes of the Picts in his History, "They also tattoo their bodies with various patterns and pictures of all sorts of animals."

Modern day guy makes a tribal british tattoo




Iron age british warrior tattoos
&
Description of warriors:With their trademark spiky limed hair, magnificently droopy moustaches and painted with woad battle-markings, these warriors were as colourful as they were ferocious. The British, led by the dark and terrifying Druidic cult, still favored the chariots as a key part of their armies as they struck fear into the hearts of the Roman invaders. There is a famous account of Romans not wanting to leave their boat to tackle the frenzied British with their Druid leaders on the shores of Britain- it took a standard bearer to throw his standard ashore and thus driving his companions to go and protect it to break the spell!.

Celtic warrior’s basic equipment consisted of a set of one to four spears. One was a 1.8 meters long fighting spear called a "lancea" that sometimes had very large spearheads of up to 50 centimetres in length. The others were shorter throwing spears called "gaesum" with relatively small, normally shorter than 10 centimetres long spearheads. A warrior also had a large—about 1.2 meter high and 0.5 meters wide—leather-covered, wooden shield with a metal shield-boss. This was likely to have been decorated with painting and sometimes metal ornamentation. With this basic equipment, the average warrior usually wore his everyday clothing consisting of trousers, a shirt, and a mantle.


Celtic spearman


Medium spearman




Celtic noble, besides his torc (neck ring), was a long-sword with a blade-length of about 0.8 to 1 meter. Those from the early period had definite swordpoints, enabling them to be used for slashing and piercing. In the later period, these swords often had rounded points that allowed only slashing attacks. In rare cases, especially in finds from the eastern Celtic world, such swords had anthropomorphic handles, the pommel most often cast from bronze in the form of a human head. Additionally, the typical noble warrior probably wore armor and helmet, all made from leather. Depending on how rich they were, nobles might have equipment such as helmets, made from bronze or iron, often elaborately decorated with ornamentation and inlays of coral or even gold. Occasionally, the helmet might have additional embellishments such as the one from the famous find at Ciumesti, Romania, which has a figure of a raven with mobile wings fixed to its crest. That helmet must have been an impressive sight when the owner moved down the battlefield. Chainmail suits, covering the body down to the knees and, most often, leaving the arms free, were very rare, and, obviously affordable by only the wealthiest nobles.

British noble infantry



British noble cavalry


Noble archers


Noble spearman






Celtic battle chariot

Even though it was not used always and everywhere in the Celtic world, the battle-chariot is considered a very typical part of Celtic warfare. It was called a "carpentom" or similar term, and was a light, two-wheeled vehicle drawn by a pair of yoked horses, little more than four meters in length and less than two meters wide. The chariot consisted almost exclusively of organic material; the main metal parts were the iron tires and the iron fittings to strengthen the hubs. In some cases, metal rings and connectors were used to strengthen joints and flexible connections. What made the Celtic chariot so special, however, was that the chariot-platform was not fixed to the axle but hung free in a rope suspension. This made it a lot more comfortable to drive and a lot easier to fight from.


Usually two persons rode in the chariot. The charioteer sat in the open front of the chariot and actually drove. The warrior stood behind the charioteer and threw his spears from the chariot before alighting and fighting on foot. The charioteer stayed close enough to retrieve his warrior and carry him away from the battle if he were wounded or killed. This system is well documented in the Irish Ulster Cycle, as well as in the works of Roman and Greek historians.


Celtic heavy chariot













Celtic warrior bands

Also quite typical among the Celts were warrior-bands like the Irish fianna or the Gaesates who fought in the Italian Wars against the Romans. Such warbands consisted mainly of young men led by charismatic leaders like the Irish Fionn Mac Cumhaill or the two kings of the Gaesates. The latter seem to have been used as high response troops in battle, according to the Roman sources. Most probably these groups had a religious dimension, requiring various initiation rituals for membership. They most probably enjoyed a special status in Celtic society. Members of these warrior bands probably were known for performing heroic feats. For example, historians recorded that the Gaesates fought naked in the battles in the Po valley in Italy where the Cisalpine Celts opposed the Romans. Most notably these warbands seem to have consisted mostly or even exclusively of infantry.

Spear warband






skirmish warband




Forester warband






The Nature of Celtic Warfare

The Celts fought many battles. Some involved rather small numbers of combatants, but there were also mass battles in which at least tens of thousands or perhaps even hundreds of thousands participated, if we believe the numbers reported by various ancient historians. However, in contrast to the rigid Roman military organisation, Celtic warriors seem to have been much less used to fighting in formations and organized units. The records we have from ancient historians paint the picture of mostly unorganised groups.



The ancient Celtic warriors engaged their enemy as if they would defeat them simply by overrunning them, trusting their brute force more than elaborate tactics and clever strategies. This may well be due to a trait of Celtic mentality, which valued individual prowess with arms and heroic feats more than fighting in tight groups and trusting in the combined power of many men in close military formations.


Military organisation seems to have been based, in case of the infantry, more on where one came from than the type of weapons one carried, although chariots and/or cavalry were set aside to fight together. The warbands, who were most likely the high response troops of the Celts, often formed the first line of the infantry, hurling themselves upon the enemy in the first assault.


In battles, the Celts also made use of what has been dubbed "psychological warfare." Before actually engaging the enemy, they are said to having made a horrible noise by clashing their weapons against their shields, crying and singing, with horns (carnyx) being blown and maybe drums being beaten. In the early period, these practices, together with the wild onslaught by the first lines of warriors, seems to have shocked Roman troops so that much that they simply gave way and fled from the field in fear for their lives.


Also, before the actual fight, the Celtic war leaders paraded in front of their troops, performing heroic feats, proclaiming their own deeds, belittling their enemies, and challenging enemy leaders to duels. The results of these individual combats were apparently regarded as omens of the outcome of the battle.


However fierce that first onslaught, the ancient Celts had, according to the ancient historians, little endurance. If their first assault didn’t succeed, the Celtic forces were easy to defeat, or so the historians say. On the other hand, the historians might have been perpetuating the image of the Celts as barbarians by ascribing superior physical strength but less endurance to them, especially since endurance was regarded as one of the primary Roman virtues.


Evidently, to actually defeat the Celts was not as easy as the ancient historians wanted their readers to believe, since quite a number of reports tell us that the Celts continued to fight valiantly to the end, even when the battle already was lost. Often the Celts were depicted as killing themselves and their close relatives rather than surrendering and being sold into slavery.
However, the most of the battles seem to have been rather small, involving only a few warriors on both sides.

Other units:

Skirmishes




British light cavalry




Slaughter band




woad warriors




Naked fanatics


heavy swordsmen




Light swordsmen




Belgae axemem




Pictish Javelinmen

British heavy cavalry




Caledonian slingers




Caledonian head hunters




SHIELDS