DBA Armies

This list covers the army of Alexander the Great from his invasion of India until its dismemberment after the murder of the regent Perdikkas. The administrative base of his new empire was now Babylon. The prodromoi scouting lancers had disappeared from the sources, probably having been drafted into the Companions together with the pick of the Persians, and had been replaced by Asiatic light horse; while the hypaspists were now pike-armed and had become the “argyraspids” (silver shields). The Thessalian and Greek cavalry had gone home and the Greek infantry used as garrisons for Alexander’s newly-founded cities. The elephants surrendered by Poros are not mentioned as being used in battle by Alexander, though they would have been useful for familiarisation and future campaigns. They are described as manned by an Indian mahout with a Macedonian pikeman sitting astride behind him. When Alexander died prematurely, he was planning to attack Carthage. References: Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars D. Head, Alexander the Great’s Campaigns P. Barker, Alexander the Great R. Lane Fox, An Elephant for Aristotle L. Sprague de Camp (novel), Alexander at the World’s End T. Holt (novel), A Choice of Destinies M. Scott (novel).