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Author Topic: What Exactly Are Ancient Indian Maiden Guard?  (Read 3887 times)

Offline pnweerar

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 252
What Exactly Are Ancient Indian Maiden Guard?
« on: September 26, 2020, 02:45:03 AM »
I'm building an ancient Indian army and am not sure what 'Maiden Guard' are. Google searches turn up results for minis but not historical articles, and there's nothing I can find on Wikipedia, either.

If anyone knows their historical origin / background / further reading sources, that would be great! Apologies for my ignorance and thank you for your time!

Offline williamb

  • Librarian
  • Posts: 128
Re: What Exactly Are Ancient Indian Maiden Guard?
« Reply #1 on: September 26, 2020, 03:12:34 AM »
From "Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars" by Duncan Head, figure 94 Indian Palace Guardswoman:  Many Indian Kings had armed guardswomen.   Usually small numbers. Chandragupta is believed to have been the first to use them.   Only depicted armed with a sword.  Megathenes describes them riding horses, chariots, or elephants while accompanying Chandragupta on hunts.  It is not believed that they fought in battles, but if so would have been mounted.

Offline FierceKitty

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1718
Re: What Exactly Are Ancient Indian Maiden Guard?
« Reply #2 on: September 26, 2020, 07:52:59 AM »
Not that unusual out here in the mysterious east. A frequent reason - apart from an equivalent of the modern gaming urge that produces top-heavies in mail bikinis - was that they could guard the harem without raising the likelihood of a civil war over disputed successions.
The laws of probability do not apply to my dice in wargames or to my finesses in bridge.

Offline DintheDin

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 6214
Re: What Exactly Are Ancient Indian Maiden Guard?
« Reply #3 on: September 26, 2020, 09:05:46 AM »
A similar question has been posted here, since 2014
http://soa.org.uk/sm/index.php?topic=1489.0
Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates. – Mark Twain, Life on the Mississippi

Offline Fremitus Borealis

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 396
  • Magister Discipulorum
Re: What Exactly Are Ancient Indian Maiden Guard?
« Reply #4 on: September 26, 2020, 12:06:22 PM »
Yeah probably really small numbers. Maybe portray them on the base/vignette with your commander?
"Nice try, history; better luck next year."

Offline OB

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1611
Re: What Exactly Are Ancient Indian Maiden Guard?
« Reply #5 on: September 26, 2020, 01:26:25 PM »
If I'm up to date the current thinking is that they were recruited from Greek women resident in the sub continent.   A consequence of Alexander's campaigns there.

Offline Poiter50

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 3562
Re: What Exactly Are Ancient Indian Maiden Guard?
« Reply #6 on: September 26, 2020, 02:06:25 PM »
Perhaps some remnants of the Scythians that Alexander "recruited"? Weren't there female Massagetae warriors?

If I'm up to date the current thinking is that they were recruited from Greek women resident in the sub continent.   A consequence of Alexander's campaigns there.
Cheers,
Poiter50

Offline Cat

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  • Posts: 1242
  • All Purpose Neko-Sensei
    • Goblinhall
Re: What Exactly Are Ancient Indian Maiden Guard?
« Reply #7 on: September 26, 2020, 02:37:14 PM »
If I'm up to date the current thinking is that they were recruited from Greek women resident in the sub continent.   A consequence of Alexander's campaigns there.

Interesting.  I haven't read up on Indian Maiden Guard, but I some time ago I did up some Khmer Maiden Guard for a DBA army.  Most all the evidence we have on the medieval Khmer come from engravings, and there are some depictions of these.  My guess is they were influenced by Indian practice, but may have developed independently.

Offline pallard

  • Librarian
  • Posts: 184
Re: What Exactly Are Ancient Indian Maiden Guard?
« Reply #8 on: September 26, 2020, 03:29:44 PM »
Hi
As the Khmer and Champa followed strictly the Indian armies' doctrine in organisation I would guess that one can reverse evidence in their use of maiden guards as an Indian way.
Philippe

Offline FierceKitty

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1718
Re: What Exactly Are Ancient Indian Maiden Guard?
« Reply #9 on: September 26, 2020, 03:46:16 PM »
Also Thais, also the Moghuls.

Offline OB

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1611
Re: What Exactly Are Ancient Indian Maiden Guard?
« Reply #10 on: September 26, 2020, 03:50:27 PM »
Perhaps some remnants of the Scythians that Alexander "recruited"? Weren't there female Massagetae warriors?

Yes, Scythian young women fought but as horse archers.  The SOA quote linked above mentions a Greek Woman archer.  Interesting.

Offline pnweerar

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 252
Re: What Exactly Are Ancient Indian Maiden Guard?
« Reply #11 on: October 04, 2020, 09:09:43 AM »
Thank you all kindly for your help with this! Much appreciated!

Offline vodkafan

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 3510
Re: What Exactly Are Ancient Indian Maiden Guard?
« Reply #12 on: October 04, 2020, 03:40:34 PM »
All in all it was a lot better job for a girl than working in the kitchens, doing the laundry or being 25th wife in the harem  lol
I am going to build a wargames army, a big beautiful wargames army, and Mexico is going to pay for it.

2019 Painting Challenge :
figures bought: 500+
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Offline Irregular Wars Nic

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 940
    • Visit the Irregular Wars blog:
Re: What Exactly Are Ancient Indian Maiden Guard?
« Reply #13 on: July 15, 2021, 08:29:43 AM »
Just curious, outside of Newline and 1stCorp, are there any other 28mm ranges for maiden guard?

Offline bigredbat

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 961
    • BigRedBatCave
Re: What Exactly Are Ancient Indian Maiden Guard?
« Reply #14 on: July 15, 2021, 04:32:28 PM »
I think there were some Sergeant Major Miniatures ones, at one point- I have a pack. Quite small minis IIRC.

 

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