Seleucid Showcase: Greek Auxilary Foot

Thureophoroi, Thorakitai, Thracians, and Cretans protect the elephants and flank of the phalanx.

Along with their Asiatic auxiliaries, the Seleucids and other Successors made good use of their 'Greek' allies, although the word 'Greek' is used in its widest sense here.

So these are all Frei Korps 15mm and form part of my Seleucid army, and the sheer majority of which were painted by Le Chasseur.

Thureophoroi

So called because of the name of their oval shields - the Thureos - these troops seemed to have developed from the Greek Peltasts - named because of the name of their shields, the Pelte.

These were sometimes very good auxiliary troops, lighter than the phalanx and who fought in similar but shallower ranks and files, with javelins, short spears, and sword.


Thorakitai

Thought to be a heavier version of the Thureophoroi, these troops seemed to have fulfilled a similar function but were generally armed with a long thrusting spear and chain-mail armour.

Although there seems to be some confusion now as to whether these were actually separate class of troops who just happened to carry the Thureos, or even whether they existed at all - meh.

Both types of auxiliary seemed to have evolved into what could best be considered 'Roman-like' Hastati and Princepes, as the later part of the Successor period overlapped with the Roman Republic.

Still these are good looking troops of which I only have half painted... what? Its only been 20 years!

Thracians

Next door neighbours with the Macedonians in the kingdom of Thrace, these guys were considered hardy and aggressive troops on the whole.


There were generally two types of heavier Thracian auxiliary used in the Successor armies. One type was armed similarly as the Thureophoroi, the other - as are all these troops - were armed with the vicious Rhomphaia - basically a curved blade on a stick,


These guys saw service throughout the ancient world of the associated period.

Cretans

Sourced from Crete, these archers were considered some of the best in the ancient world and would turn up as mercenaries in many countries' armies until well into the medieval period.


So no self respecting ancients general of lead and plastic should be without these guys in their armies!