Graeco-Bactrian ?

[Major Weenie]

So the other day I cam across a DBM Army List for "Graeco-Bactrians."

And I began to wonder what they might look like.

"Phalanx Pikemen" = Helenistic (sort of ?) helmet & fabric torso armor, but with long sleeves & long trousers ?

"Mountain Indian Spearmen" = same as the "Mountain Indian Spearmen" from other more traditional Indian Armies ?

"Iranian Lancers" = These are classed as lighter than contemporary Parthian Cataphracts. So I have no clue.

"Greek Bodyguard Cavalry" = Kind of "Companion Like" but again with long sleeves and long trousers ?

Any sage suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[AdamPHayes]

There's not a lot of hard information about the most easterly Greek kingdoms. What evidence there is suggests that the Greek/Macedonian elements wore very similar styles to their westerly cousins with not much in the way of trousers being worn. Maybe to emphasise their Greek heritage. Disn't stop me from adding dashes of the exotic to my version of the army however! I even have some Hypaspist style guardsmen wearing Persian floppy hats...



My take on the Iranian cavalr, mainly Greek equipment but trousers and bows to go with their lances.



1st Corps and Essex Miniatures do some specific figures for this army in 28mm but you can easily draft in or modify figures from other ranges that will suit.

[SJWi]

I don't know if Duncan Head's "Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars" ( Wargames Research Group)  or Nikonorov's "The Armies of Bactria 700BC to 450AD" ( Montvert Publications) are still available but they have illustrations of Graeco-Bactrians, and I suspect have been used by most figure manufacturers as the basis for their ranges. The Nikonorov books ( volumes 1 and 2) have 20 pages of text on the Graeco-Bactrians plus several plates and accompanying text.

If you can't locate these I can try to give a synopsis but it will take time to assemble.

[sgzleada71]

Cool project

[AdamPHayes]

I don't know if Duncan Head's "Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars" ( Wargames Research Group)  or Nikonorov's "The Armies of Bactria 700BC to 450AD" ( Montvert Publications) are still available but they have illustrations of Graeco-Bactrians, and I suspect have been used by most figure manufacturers as the basis for their ranges. The Nikonorov books ( volumes 1 and 2) have 20 pages of text on the Graeco-Bactrians plus several plates and accompanying text.

If you can't locate these I can try to give a synopsis but it will take time to assemble.

I'm pretty sure Duncan's  excellent tome is still available as they did a re-issued version in 2016(?)  - with a new foreword by the author. Unfortunately that very update discounted one of the rare pieces of evidence for Bactrian Greek cavalry, leaving us with a sparse clues to go on (I waffled about it click here.)

As SJWi says the Nikonorov books are out of print but they do turn up second hand every now and then, and they do have a pretty comprehensive look at the evidence that was available.

[aphillathehun]

I'd love to hear a summary of what research has turned up since Duncan's book.  Central Asian armies of any era somehow capture my imagination.

[SJWi]

Amazon/Caliver Books have the Nikonorov volumes for sale at £49 for the 2 volumes. Pretty pricey for what they are.

[Major Weenie]

Cruised the Internet for images,

Found an image, A La Osprey, of several Graeco-Bactrian figures.
Much as everyone, except me, had surmised.  "Greek" figures remain pretty darned "Greek"
The Companion-ish cavalry dress Greek, with sort of Persian trousers, but still have short sleves.
They also wear a sort of open helmet I'd never seen before.  Like some sort of evolution from more conventional 'Open' helmets.
Looks kind of like a British W.W.1 helmet, but with the front & back brim extended into a sort of peak.

The WRG Army List had described the "Iranian Cavalry" as being from an appropriate coin.
Think I saw an image of this.  If so, the coin is heavily worn, obscuring many details.
Best I can figure it's very much like a Parthian cataphract, but on an unbarded horse.

Will keep Looking.

[Jjonas]

Tom Opalka's army inspired by the AtG Successor's lists (WAB). It is an inspiring view with many old miniatures (including the unhelmeted armored lancers that revised AMPW has determine is anachronistic).

https://ancientbattles.com/Bactria/Bactrian_Successors_01.htm

Offered here as inspiration. There is much conjecture in these armies- as there is also much time and geography between when the Macedonian garrisons were established under Alexander, to Greek mutinies, Civil War, and ultimately separate independent kingdoms.

It is difficult to gauge when pockets of Macedonian/Greek inheritors and locals allied would adopt new gear and change their tactics. AFAIK phalanx on phalanx Bactrian battles seem odd given the terrain and Alexander's experience in Bactria Sogdiana. The Ai Khanoum outpost citadel was certainly a fortress covering the northern frontier which may have housed a combined arms force. Alexander's story details how easily tens of thousands of Greeks, Thracians, and mustered out veterans were left behind.

Gear would match the style of soldier- Companion, foot companion, Thracian. But there was also the pull of troops into the Civil Wars.

AMPW does give a guess of what a light booted phalangite might appear as. Obviously the same outfit could apply to thureophoroi/peltasts with more or less armor. The main feature of bactrian arms over time seems to be more morphing towards gear (bows) that is useful against other cavalry enemies, and the coin artwork revealing more and more finely crafted Boeotian style helmets on leaders. The other distinctive feature gleanable from coins are the large peacock feather adorning some troops.

The locals would probably no tbe much more or less changed from previous Afghan/Sogdian/Scythian troops and cavalry, as well as later Dailami mountain men - maybe without large shields. Mountain Indians are also similar in look and gear to many Dailami figures.

It is really a conjectural army and allows a lot of possibilities based on whether one want to have a northern Greco-Bactrian look, or an Eastern Indo-Bactrian style that is more merged with Indian allies.

As stated the best place to start is with the DBM Book 2 army lists provided by WRG
Compiled by Phil Barker and Richard Bodley Scott
WARGAMES RESEARCH GROUP
2nd EDITION, NOV 1998

The above little book is a great investment and gives a nice listing of general troop types and allies based on speculation as to how to separate early and later, and Greco/Indo Bactrians. AMPW has a few Bactrian ideas by Ian Heath which are often spread across the web. The Nikonorov volumes with line art are the most valuable.

[Jjonas]

Daylami infantry- a bit late for the period but other than Old Glory 25's Scythian foot* these are probably useable as Bactrian mountain tribes, maybe with some head swaps. (The Old Glory models have proper Sogdian hats but the poses are kind of weak, and the archers are a bit stocky and short).

These OG Parthian light infantry might do- I have never looked at them up close:
https://www.oldgloryminiatures.com/proddetail.asp?prod=PRP-05
https://www.oldgloryminiatures.com/proddetail.asp?prod=PRP-04

Footsore Daylami infantry

https://footsorenorthamerica.com/products/daylami-infantry

Gripping Beast

https://www.grippingbeast.co.uk/DOW05_Daylami_8--product--4822.html

Aventine Sassanid foot
https://aventineminiatures.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/53_89_131/products_id/666

The Bactrian color plates from Armies of Bactria 700BC-450AD Paperback – May 1, 1997 Valerii Nikonorov are available here:

https://weaponsandwarfare.com/2019/04/page/11/

[Major Weenie]

The "1st Corps" website actually has a "Bactrian Army Deal"

However, the figures look like pretty much standard Successor types,
but selected to meet the WRG Graeco-Bactrian Army List.

At first I thought that the (unpainted) Phalangites were wearing some sort of trousers/breeches,
but on closer magnification it turned out to to be greaves.

Will soldier on and see what else I find.

[Jjonas]

I think you are going to find a dearth of both long sleeves and long pants on phalangite models.

This Foundry set has long sleeves and round helmets. These are single cast so their drawback is the bottle cap shields are hard to modify:
https://www.wargamesfoundry.com/collections/single-pose-macedonians/products/wg148-macedonian-or-successor-greek-mercenaries

This Foundry set has long pants and Phrygian helmets:
https://www.wargamesfoundry.com/collections/single-pose-macedonians/products/wg141-macedonian-or-successor-eastern-pikemen

Old Glory has trousered phalangites, and maybe some with sleeves- I forget:
https://www.oldgloryminiatures.com/proddetail.asp?prod=PPS-01

RAFM has some in their old 25mm ranges- but these have boots:

http://www.rafm.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=RAF&Product_Code=RAF07163&Category_Code=IB

The classic Ral Partha figure in 25mm also has boots:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/25mm-RAL-Partha-Ancient-Bactrian-Phalangite-/253347168350?nma=true&si=69bGKXZbdn6%252BguY6xN2vPiCmQDo%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

[aphillathehun]

The Bactrian color plates from Armies of Bactria 700BC-450AD Paperback – May 1, 1997 Valerii Nikonorov are available here:

https://weaponsandwarfare.com/2019/04/page/11/

Oh, I remember those now.  I guess the coneheads came to earth long before the 70s and served as Bactrian horse archers....

[SJWi]

If you are after long-trousered Phalangites I suggest you look at Gripping Beast’s “Polemarch” range. For some reason they always seem to get overlooked. They also have some Persian and Successor cavalry which may be useful for Graeco-Bactrians.

[Jjonas]

If you are after long-trousered Phalangites I suggest you look at Gripping Beast’s “Polemarch” range. For some reason they always seem to get overlooked. They also have some Persian and Successor cavalry which may be useful for Graeco-Bactrians.

Thanks for the reminder, I agree that these Polemarch figures are excellent. I did not focus on them because they are more what I think as Settler or Pantodapoi/Epigonoi Early Successors, and have Phrygian helmets- head swaps would really make them work. (Although there is no real evidence that katoikoi phalanxes were equipped differently than argyraspides and elite - except the elites would probably be more uniform and shiner. And there is also no solid evidence that pantodapoi wore pants, but it is a nice way to separate the look of things).

But, I agree with SJWi, the Polemarch figures are very usable. My personal preference is the AMPW look as recreated in the Ral Partha Bactrian phalangite with its unique gear, but I cannot magically scale them up. Head swaps on plastic figures will help. The Victrix Phalangites have pants legs included in the mix- no doubt that makes them more "unsteady." The obvious conversion route would be to get somebody to make some resin Bactrian heads with beards and infantry rounded helmets, and then you can putty on sleeves. That's major work and exactly why I have not gone there!

Polemarch
SCR14 Settlor Command
https://www.grippingbeast.co.uk/SCR14_Settlor_Command_3--product--3298.html

SCR23 Settlor / Kakoiokoi Phalanx (4)
https://www.grippingbeast.co.uk/SCR23_Settlor_Kakoiokoi_Phalanx_4--product--3307.html

Oh and I also found this snooping around- this cartoon version has some very interesting style additions including the kausia for auxiliaries:
https://www.redbubble.com/i/poster/Greco-Bactrian-Warriors-by-foojer/44849511.LVTDI#&gid=1&pid=2

As for the Polemarch Persians. That's a rough one as I do not care for them. I would focus on the new Plastics as they are easy to convert. In metal I find the Casting Room Persians to be the bomb diggity, their online photos do not do them justice:

https://www.castingroomminiatures.com/collections/persians/products/persian-heavy-cavalry-command

Oh and for Scythian/Bactrian style helmets and gear here is a go to link:

https://andvari5.livejournal.com/20238.html