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

THE ASTHETAIROI 85
and diversity. His taxis accompanied Alexander on his rapid return
to Areia after that region’s satrap revolted, covering approximately
seventy-fi ve miles in two days (Arr. Anab. 3.25.6). While this brigade
is defi nitely identifi ed as asthetairoi, others would appear to be so
also. In Alexander’s campaign against the Illyrians in 335, Perdiccas’
unit is associated with that of Coenus along with the hypaspists and
the Agrianes (Arr. Anab. 1.6.9), and Perdiccas’ troops are again linked
with those of Coenus on the Granicus (Arr. Anab. 1.14.2), where they
were also in close proximity to the hypaspists. Moreover, the association
of these two phalanx brigades occurs additionally at Issus (Arr.
Anab. 2.8.3; Curt. 3.9.7) and Gaugamela (Arr. Anab. 3.11.9), and, perhaps,
on the Hydaspes (Arr. Anab. 4.24.1). 37 At the Persian Gates, it is
Perdiccas’ brigade alone of the territorial regiments that accompanies
the hypaspists, squadrons of cavalry, and the “lightest [or nimblest]
armed archers” (Arr. Anab. 3.18.5).
Both Bosworth and Griffi th argue that the asthetairoi represented
half of the phalanx brigades. 38 This, indeed, may have been the case
later in the expedition, when Alexander faced more mobile forces and
engaged in numbers of sieges. Polyperchon’s unit later appears in contexts
that suggest strongly that these troops had become asthetairoi. 39
Against the Assacenians, Craterus remained with the “heavier armed”
infantry (Arr. Anab. 4.25.5), while Alexander proceeded with the
Companion cavalry, the mounted javelin men, the Agrianes, and the
brigades of Coenus and Polyperchon (Arr. Anab. 4.25.6). It is furthermore
very likely that Amyntas’ brigade changed its equipment as well.
At Issus (Arr. Anab. 2.8.4) and at Gaugamela (Arr. Anab. 3.11.9), this
unit was clearly part of the pike-phalanx, being located in the center
of the infantry phalanx in the former (Arr. Anab. 2.8.4) and on its left
wing in the latter (Arr. Anab. 3.11.9). Yet, later, after the revolt of Satibarzanes,
Amyntas’ brigade joins with Coenus’ on Alexander’s rapid
return to Areia (Arr. Anab. 3.25.6). After Amyntas’ death in 329 (Arr.
Anab. 3.27.3), his unit may have been put under the command of
Attalus. 40 It is also possible that the latter replaced Perdiccas on that
offi cer’s promotion. 41 In any case, in 327, Attalus’ brigade is associated
with that of Coenus and with the hypaspists (Arr. Anab. 4.24.1).
In addition to providing greater fl exibility in situations other than
fi xed infantry battles, the combination of hoplites and pikemen had
tactical advantages. While “nothing could withstand the frontal
assault of these pikemen,” it was vulnerable to attack, especially on
the fl anks (Polyb. 18.29.1). As with the later Swiss pikemen, 42 the
German Landsnechts, 43 and the Spanish tercios, other units protected
the men carrying the long lances. At Magnesia, the sarisa phalanx of
Antiochus, even though it was drawn up in a square formation,