Silver shields

**The Stranger** · 02-25-2005, 17:39

didn't macedon used silver shield pikemen (i know the name is different but it's so damned hard to spell it correct).

**Kraxis** · 02-25-2005, 19:46

Hypaspists??? They the ones that changed into the Silver Shields (Argyraspids).

But the Macedonians did have a special infantry elite in the Successor times, but the name has escaped me.

**The Stranger** · 02-25-2005, 19:49

no Hypaspists are the elite mobile hoplites, suited for raids and other kind of special ops.

**jerby** · 02-25-2005, 22:26

Argyraspids were pikemen and hypaspits were hoplites.
altough the hypaspists were fague, there were sometimes metioned as spearthrowers. or as swordsmen, so it is most likely they were multi-funtioned.

and Argyraspids were the elite men from the succesors-time. they were most likely just very experienced levy-pikemen ( pezetairoi)

**Kraxis** · 02-25-2005, 23:52

Alexander changed the Hypaspists into the Argyraspists when he stood on the brink of entering India (at some river). There he gave the 2000 or so most experienced Hypaspists and normal pikemen, silver shields and from then on they fought as pikemen almost exclusively (they had fought as pikemen as well earlier, but as mentioned they had done it all).
So the silver shields replaced the Hypaspists.

Could it be you are talking about the Agema Phalangites? They were merely the troops in the van of the formation, the troops often leading the attacks. That is often meant to be an elite, but that doesn't mean they were best elite.

**The Stranger** · 02-26-2005, 11:56

no i'm not talking about agema (weren't the agema cavalry) but i think you're right about the silver shields.

Jerby

silver shields are Elite in terms of the Society so they were the rich kids.

**lars573** · 02-26-2005, 16:45

Originally Posted by Kraxis

Alexander changed the Hypaspists into the Argyraspists when he stood on the brink of entering India (at some river). There he gave the 2000 or so most experienced Hypaspists and normal pikemen, silver shields and from then on they fought as pikemen almost exclusively (they had fought as pikemen as well earlier, but as mentioned they had done it all).
So the silver shields replaced the Hypaspists.

Could it be you are talking about the Agema Phalangites? They were merely the troops in the van of the formation, the troops often leading the attacks. That is often meant to be an elite, but that doesn't mean they were best elite.

That would be the Indus river. Gateway to india, in pakistan now.