Normally one would picture a thorakites as a slightly better armoured thureophoros with a light mail shirt in addition to his thureos shield; but I got to thinking earlier, would the cuirass worn necessarily be of mail? Would it not be equally likely that this was of the more traditional linothorax type & if so what would this combination look like:
Actually not bad, almost like a latter day hypaspist ( depending on your point of view) & quite suitable for standing in line of battle as flank protection for the phalanx as well as providing a solid anchor for the thureophoroi while operating in rough country.
This is a subject that has been occupying my mind too, per the Raphia discussion on TMP. I am about to raise a unit of Greeks in linen and muscle cuirasses as "earlier" thorakitai for Raphia, mostly using surplus hypaspist minis that I have lying around.
ReplyDeleteHi Simon, just found the tmp thread you mentioned, serendipity in action! I am going to use up my last few Victrix plastic hoplites & some older Foundry hypaspists to form a unit. Not sure my meagre efforts will stretch to Raphia though, that is shaping into a fair project. Regards HGA.
DeleteThey'll look interesting, I'm sure! I might try mixing in some Victrix myself.
ReplyDeleteGood idea, both!
ReplyDelete