Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/93

 HYPASPISTS— IRREGULAR TROOPS. 61 ber of men. But as to the array, a depth of sixteen, for the files cf the phalangites, appears to have been regarded as important and characteristic,' perhaps essential to impart a feeUng of con- fidence to the troops. It was a depth much greater than was common with Grecian hoplites, and never surpassed by any Greeks except the Thebans. But the phalanx, though an essential item, was yet only one among many, in the varied military organization introduced by rhilip. It was neither intended, nor fit, to act alone ; being clumsy in changing front to protect itself either in flank or rear, and unable to adapt itself to uneven ground. There was another description of infantry organized by Philip called the Hypaspists — shield-bearers or Guards ; ^ originally few in number, and employed for personal defence of the prince — but afterwards enlarged into several distinct corps d'armee. These Hypaspists or Guards were light infantry of the line ; ^ they were hoplites, keeping regular array and intended for close combat, but more lightly armed, and more fit for diversities of circumstance and position, than the phalanx. They seem to have fought with the one-handed pike and shield, like the Greeks ; and not to have carried the two-handed phalangite pike or sarissa. They occu- pied a sort of intermediate place between the heavy infantry of the phalanx properly so called — and the peltasts and light troops generally. Alexander in his later campaigns had them distributed into Chiliarchies (how the distribution stood earlier, we have no distinct information,) at least three in number, and probably more.* We find them employed by him in forward ' This is to be seen in the arrangement made by Alexander a short time before his death, vvlien he incorporated Macedonian and Persian soldiers in the same lochus ; the normal depth of sixteen was retained ; all the front ranks or privileged men being Macedonians. The Macedonians were much hurt at seeing their native regimental array shared with Asiatics ( Arrian, vii. 11,5; vii. 23, 4-8). the prince, appears in Arrian, i. 5, 3 ; vii. 8, 6. Neoptolemus, as upxivizajTzictT^g to Alexander, carried the shield Mii lance of the latter, on formal occasions (Plutarch, Eumenes, 1). ' Arrian, ii. 4, 3, 4 ; ii. 20, 5. TOL. XII. 6
 * The proper meaning of vnaaniaTol, as guards or personal attendants on
 * Arrian, iv. 30. 1 1, v. 2.3, 11.