Philip II and Alexander the Great: Father and Son ... - Historia Antigua

82 PHILIP AND ALEXANDER AT WAR
original edifi ce suggested by Markle, showing two rows of peltai
(light shields) enclosed by two fl anking aspides (round shields), 14
may be a bit optimistic, the presence of both shields in a common
monument demonstrates, as Markle remarks, that both types of
shields were used in the Macedonian phalanx. 15 The Macedonian
heavy infantry, then, would appear from this visual evidence not to
consist solely of sarisa bearers, but of a combination of heavy infantry
types.
The hypaspists were more mobile than the “typical” Macedonian
phalangite, 16 and regularly “equipped for hand-to-hand warfare” (Arr.
Anab. 2.20.6). 17 This unit is frequently described by modern commentators
as equipped with the hoplite panoply. 18 It is apparent from
Arrian that these troops, at least, were more lightly armed than most
of their heavy infantry counterparts. In Hyrcania, Alexander advanced
with the hypaspists and the “lightest-armed and more nimble of the
Macedonian phalanx” (Arr. Anab. 3.23.3; cf. 1.27.8). 19 Before the Cilician
Gates, Alexander divided the army, with Parmenio being given
the “more heavily armed foot battalions.” 20 Alexander proceeded
with the hypaspists, archers, and the Agrianes (Arr. Anab. 2.4.3).
The identifi cation of the asthetairoi as also outfi tted with hoplite
equipment, while based on circumstantial evidence, is convincing
nonetheless. It is unfortunate that Arrian often refers to all heavy infantrymen
as hoplites (Arr. Anab. 1.13.1, 28.6, 7; 2.8. 2, 3; 6.18.3), 21
and frequently to shields in general as aspides, even in those circumstances
where this is clearly not technically correct (that is, Arr. Anab.
1.6.4; cf. Diod. 17.57.6, 58.3). 22 πέλται ( peltai) is the correct term to
apply to the shields carried by the Macedonian pikemen (Polyaen.
4.2.10; Plut. Aem. 19.1–2, 5; Flam. 14.1). However, ἀσπίς ( aspis) is
also used by Arrian in contexts where it is appropriate. During the
assault on Mount Haemus the Macedonians covered themselves with
their shields to permit wagons rolled down upon them by the Thracians
to pass over them harmlessly (Arr. Anab. 1.1.9; cf. Polyaen.
4.3.11). As Markle has remarked, the smaller shield would not have
provided suffi cient protection and, consequently, the hoplite shield
is here indicated. 23
More importantly, Alexander used heavy infantrymen in situations
where the use of pikemen would be hard to imagine because of their
infl exibility. In instances where roads were diffi cult or where speed
was essential “lighter-armed” heavy infantry would be used. Most
often, as seen previously, among such troops would be the hypaspists,
but they were in many cases associated with the asthetairoi. In India,
Alexander divided his army giving to Hephaestion and Perdiccas
command of the taxeis (regiments) of Gorgias, Cleitus, and Meleager