Chalkaspidai?

[chairman]

From what I've read, the 'bronze shields' were mainly an Antigonid institution. So how did Pontus come by this elite regiment? Was it an imitation force, made up of Greeks living in Pontic territory? Or was it formed from refugees of the Roman conquest of Macedon similar to the Seleucid regiment of Chalkaspidai in the Daphne Parade? What are our sources for this unit in Pontic service?

Thanks in advance for answers.

Chairman

[Tellos Athenaios]

Huh? Chalkaspidai, you say?
I surely hope they're not called that in the build... AFAIK I took care of that one, that is: I changed their name into Chalkaspides.

[paullus]

I think you had that one fixed, it should be chalkaspides. Interesting question, we find the chalkaspides in literary sources only once we start getting detailed information on the Pontic army, mainly in the first century BC. However, a bronze shield covering from the reign of king Pharnakes (c183-c170 or so) would seem to be a strong indication of the existence of the chalkaspides in Pontos early in the 2nd c. BC, prior to the battle of Pydna and the exodus of a good number of Macedonians into the east. I don't know that there's really any evidence to talk about whether they might have existed or not before the reign of Pharnakes. We do know that Pontos apparently had a relatively impressive army in the 220's, when c.227 the Pontic army of Mithridates II defeated the army of Seleukid royal army, and killed 20,000 soldiers, including the king. Is that proof the chalkaspides existed? Heck no. But its a bit more info for you.

[chairman]

Thanks Paullus! Yeah, I figured that they would have had a pretty good army for Mithridates to force three whole wars on the Romans. However, was the army mainly in the Successor format of phalanx and cavalry, or did it include more thorakitai and "imitation legionaries" infantry by the time of Mithridates the Great? The history books often mention mention numbers and maybe quality of enemy (of the romans that is) armies, but they don't always give troop type or tactical function.

@ TA: I have no idea what the name is ingame. I just took it from the EB website (wonderful source btw; love it).

Chairman

[General Appo]

Hmmm... I sure hope the C are historical, they were the number one reason I survived in my Pontos campaign, even more so then the FM´s.
I just looked on the EB site, and the Chalkaspidai are actually unique to Pontos, which I guess is the reason their English name is Pontic Elite Phalanx.
The Seleucids have Argyraspides, Silver Shields, while the Chalkaspidai are Bronze Shields. I know qoute the websites description of Chalkaspidai:

"Chalkaspidai (Pontic Elite Phalanx)
The Chalkaspidai (Bronze Shields or "brazen shields") are the elite phalangitai of the multicultural Pontic Kingdom, drawn from all quarters of local Hellenic and Hellenistic peoples, generally with varied backgrounds - though their name likens them to the great veteran phalanx of Megas Alexandros himself. Though not the same superb force, they can be a powerful and dangerous weapon in the hands of a competent general, but are less then useless in the hands of a fool. Their service role is best restricted to that of a part-time conscript, serving during the summer campaigns, but released at harvest or famine will follow. Their formation, the phalanx, is the traditional Hellenic infantry formation of a part-time citizen levy, passionately dedicated to their own local civic life. Known to have been used on occassion in ancient Sumeria, it is at its simplest, a compact body of spearmen, formed up in depth to present a hedge of spears to any attacker. The weak point of the phalanx is the flanks and if the enemy is able to engage the flanks then the formation will quickly fall into disorder. The sarissa is a clumsy weapon, not well suited to close quarters combat, but such is not its purpose. It is meant to be an impenetrable wall of pikes, creating a moving fortress from which cavalry can launch strikes, rolling up their enemies wings or exposed center. Vital to the success of the Pontic Chalkaspidai are light hoplites, hypaspistai, or even experience Persian light infantry stationed to guard the vulnerable flanks of the greater phalanx, though a strategic cavalry charge is their best compliment - completing the lethal hammer and anvil maneuver of the old Makedonian army.

Historically, Makedonian conquests never included Pontos, but their influence in tactics and military practices found a home on the shores of the Pontos Euxine and the phalanx was promptly adopted by Pontic generals and kings. Like the other latter day Hellenic states, Pontos tended to forget the nature and vulnerabilities of many of their phalanx pikemen, abandoning the highly effective cavalry tactics that had been developed to compliment them or relying to heavily on a weaker battle line. When commanders attempted to use them as a purely offensive arm, they failed to achieve anything, though their leader's lack of creativity or intelligence was more to blame then their skill - which was remarkable."

[Labrat]

I assume that the Chalkaspides in the successor armies other than Pontus are represented by the Pezhetairoi. After all, chalkaspis means bronze shield, and guess what the phalangite shield was made of?

According to Goldsworthy, after being defeated by Sulla Mithridates made a deal with Sulla's political opponents (who were living in exile in Spain) in order to obtain Roman instructors for his army. Although Goldsworthy does not mention how far this instruction went (and it is a typical Roman cliche that their worst enemies had been trained by themselves), it does suggest a greater Roman influence on Pontic armies following the first Romano-Pontic war. It should be noted though that EB's description of the Pontic Thorakitai mentions that this type of troops was already in use in the area before the wars with Rome.