Persian Immortals
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The Achaemenid Immortals (or Persian Immortals, or simply Immortals) were the Persian elite Imperial Guard regiment during the Greco-Persian Wars. Herodotus describes the Immortals as being heavy infantry led by Hydarnes that were kept constantly in strength of exactly 10,000 men — every killed, seriously wounded or sick member was immediately replaced with a new one, maintaining the cohesion of the unit.[1] The regiment accepted only Median, Elamite or Persian applicants.[citation needed]
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[edit] Terminology
The term Immortals comes from Herodotus who called them either Ten Thousand or Athanatoi (lit. immortals). Persians themselves probably did not use the term — Herodotus may have used a corruption of a Persian word anusiya (= "companions").[1]
[edit] Equipment and Training
Their weapons were a leather and wicker shield, a short spear with an iron point and a counterbalance on the other end, a bow with cane arrows, a quiver for them and a dagger or short sword. The regiment's uniform consisted of a tiara or soft felt cap, an embroidered long-sleeved tunic, trousers, and a coat of metal. Their usual tactics involved a front rank charge at the enemy while the rear ranks shot arrows to support the assault.
These had variegated costumes and acted as the Imperial Guards. "Of these one thousand carried spears with golden pomegranate at the lower end instead of spikes; and these encircled the other nine thousand, who bore on their spears pomegranates of silver."
The regiment was followed by a wagon train of covered carriages, camels and mules that transported their women and servants and they received special food.[1]
The Immortals were trained from childhood how to handle their weapons, how to march, how to dress, and more. The training was rigorous and group selective. Immortals were required to be of Persian bloodlines, a good shot with a bow, and able to ride well. Later in time, a strict adherence to the religion of the prophet Zarathustra and his teachings, or "truth" as the Persians called it, was required.
[edit] The Immortals in History
The Immortals played an important part in Cyrus the Great's conquest of the Neo-Babylonian Empire in 547 BC, Cambyses' campaign against Egypt in 525 BC and Darius' invasion of India and Scythia in 520 BC and 513 BC. Immortals participated in the Battle of Marathon 490 BC and the Battle of Thermopylae 480 BC[2] and were in the Persian occupation troops in Greece in 479 BC under Mardonius. Alexander the Great defeated them in the Battle of Issus in 333 BC.
[edit] Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC)
In the year 480 BC, the Persian army fought against the outnumbered Spartan and Greek forces. After many failed attempts to destroy the menacing Spartans, Xerxes I decided to send his elite Immortals. Ephialtes revealed a secret path that would lead the Immortals behind the enemy lines. Xerxes, trusting on the traitor, sent Hydarnes and his Immortal batallion and encountered the enemy.
[edit] The Immortals in Fiction
- Frank Miller's graphic novel 300, turned into motion picture in 2007, presents a heavily fictionalized version of the Immortals at the Battle of Thermopylae.
- Most historical strategy videogames featuring the Persian Empire (such as Civilization, Rise of Nations and the Age of Empires series) contain Immortals as a special unit.
- In the video game Final Fantasy XI, the bodyguards of the Empress of Aht Urgan are an army of Blue Mages known as the Immortals.
[edit] Successors
The title of "Immortals" was revived under the Byzantine Empire, under the Emperor Michael VII (1071–1081). His general Nikephoros reorganised the central field army ("Tagmata") of the Eastern Empire following the disastrous defeat of Manzikert by the Turks in 1071. The remnants of the provincial troops of the Eastern Themes (military provinces) were brought together in a new Imperial Guard regiment named after the Persian Immortals and reportedly also numbering about 10,000 men. These were however cavalry, like the remainder of the Byzantine field army.
The modern Iranian Army under the last Shah included an all volunteer Javedan Guard, also known as the "Immortals" after the ancient Persian royal guard. The "Immortals" were based in the Lavizan Barracks in Tehran. By 1978 this elite force comprised a brigade of 4,000–5,000 men, including a battalion of Chieftain tanks. Following the overthrow of the Imperial regime in 1979 the "Immortals" were disbanded.
[edit] References
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ a b c 'Immortals' by Jona Lendering. Livius: Articles on ancient History. Retrieved 24 March 2007.
- ^ Thermopylae (480 BCE) by Jona Lendering. Copyright 2005. Latest revision: 11 March 2007. Retrieved 24 March 2007.
