Who Were the Skiritai? #shorts

Who were the Skiritai? They are a mysterious unit from the Skiritis mountains north of Laconia, who served alongside Sparta for nearly its entire history. Their role in ancient warfare is unclear, as our sources mention them taking up the left flank, the vanguard, and the reserves. We tease apart the small morsels of information left to us by our sources to then build a reasonable model for the Skiritai.

This documentary covers their origins, equipment, tactics, and service history through the Greco-Persian Wars, the Peloponnesian War, and more.

#shorts #documentary #military #greece

[warhammer]

Spartans: "Let me invade your lands!"
Skiritai" "Access Denied."

[Rynewulf]

They also successfully led the rebellions that helped destroy Sparta, because the Spartan living conditions were bad even the elite military units were trying to bring it down

[technomancer]

Clearly heretic propaganda, the Skitari are loyal cyborg soldiers of the Adeptus Mechan…
Wait, what do you mean this isn’t a Warhammer video?

[sparrowsbewertungen]

And the Skitaari will be cyborg warriors

[mohammedsaysrashid]

Nice video about Strikit ....they were distinct...thank you for sharing

[eddievalencia]

Oh lol I thought it read Skitarii from 40k

[ChrisGoldenmouth]

There's an upcoming historical documentary about the Skiritai produced by a greek tv channel in Britain. I got to play in a few scenes dressed and armed as a Skiritai peltast. Re-enacting with professionals is an awesome experience.

[TheRandomMuffinMan]

You know you consume too much fictional entertainment when the first thing I thought the video would be about Warhammer 40k instead of history.

[chheinrich]

And another word used for warhammer 40k allthough with some letter rearanged (skitari, the troops of the adeptus machanicus)

[billkillernic]

I can't agree much with this short, Skiritai were something like the "Delta Force" of spartans they lived in the mountains and were a shield of sparta they were autonomous and not subjects and we dont know their exact role in the spartan formations but they were held to be very tough and strong units even tougher than the average lacedaemon soldier so something like special forces. (ref. diodorus siculus)

At nights the skiritai were responsible for safeguarding the camp, they were usually infront of the king and some times infront of the cavalry as well

An other reason I deem them as "special forces" is that during the battle of Thermopelae a taskforce of skiritai was tasked to infiltrate the Persian camp and assassinate Xerxes! This is a history changing event, and they succeeded partially in their mission they infiltrated the camp and got inside Xerxe's lair but at the time he was absent only his two brothers were there, generals Abrocomes Hyperanthes, and they assassinated them instead.

It is also said that the Skritan commander was the one who killed the chief general of the Persians Mardonius during the battle.

[debrickashaw]

The skiritai seems to be a lightly armored, mobile ranged oriented unit. Is this where the word "skirmish" came from?

[drewpamon]

We have two written sources and that proves definitively everything we need to know about their culture.

[Aliksander]

"The Macedonians 'liberated' the Skiritai."
Skiritai: *disappear from history*

[BringDHouseDown]

Video didn't say much about them(and is outright wrong about all of it) so let me add:

Skiritai are light infantry units, they can be used for flanking a locked enemy formation fighting your phalanx, or preferably to go after the enemy archers, slingers, and javelin men, or engage already engaged or stopped light cavalry

they have speed, good close-quarters martial skill, carry a shield not as big as the hoplon but big regardless, a sword, usually a helmet, light garments or leather armor, and javelins, not sure if they wore any protection for the shins or the wrists.

they can move in a group somewhat lax with the gaps between the troops, rush enemy once in range, throw javelins at them and then descend upon them with a shield charge and get to stabbing and slashing

among light units, they can be considered elites and or shock troops

against heavier armored units that are in formation, they won't farewell, but if it is to flank that's a different story

[sotos-jssf]

what do you mean philip of macedon defeated the greeks?Macedonia was greek.

[N_Sbn_Ur]

They disappeared from history, but reappeared in Total War Attila 😊

[LampJesus]

No mention of their sacred oils or incense 0/10

[xyreniaofcthrayn]

Yeah they just went south and found a portal to lalotai.

[heliosdromus]

Wait a minute… this isn’t warhammer 40k? I thought it said skitari fuck I’m so stoned rn.

[mariskarveli]

I am going to forget my greek. I need to think when you pronounce greek names. When we foreigners pronounce english names you correct us and I think it's only right to do the same. Ask a greek person when you create a very good documentary to help with pronunciation.