Units of History - The Macedonian Companion Cavalry DOCUMENTARY

In this Units of History documentary we continue to explore the most famous ancient warriors from the past by turning to the kingdom of Macedon. We begin with the history of Macedon from the early Bronze Age as a small local power in the Balkans. According to legend its earliest kings had come from Argos and founded the Argead dynasty which was to rule Macedon for centuries. Initially this involved carving out a home in the lowland regions before slowly expanding the realm under great rulers like Amyntas 1.

When the Persians arrived, Macedon initially became a vassal before being incorporated into the Achaemenid Empire following the Ionian Revolt. In the ensuing Greco Persian wars, Macedon fought with the Achaemenids such as at the battle of Platae but often helped both sides and ultimately turned on the easterners during their retreat. During the ensuing Peloponnesian War, the Kingdom of Macedon gained more power but was rocked by a series of assassinations, revolts, and invasions over the years which slowed its growth. It wasn't until the reign of Philip II that the Rise of Macedon would finally take place. This was made possible by the bold military reforms of Philip II which saw 600 Companion Cavalry take center stage of a new army. This force then subdued the surrounding regions of Greece, Thessaly, and Thrace making Macedon a formidable power that could now be turned against the Achaemenid Empire.

When Philip II died, Alexander rose to the throne. After consolidating his realm, the young king them setoff to realize his father's dreams. 1800 Companion Cavalry would cross the Hellespont with the Macedonian Army. Their hammer and anvil strikes would prove to be one of the most effective tools in conquering the vast territories of the Achaemenid Empire. We cover the evolution of the Companions Cavalry and their fascinating service history over the course of the conquests of Alexander the Great. This includes their critical role in all major pitched battles: the Battle of the River Granicus, the Battle of Issus, the Battle of Gaugamela, and the Battle of Hydaspes.

Let us know what units of history you want to see covered next!

#UnitsOfHistory
#Macedon
#CompanionCavalry

[rigulur]

"aww come on guys i thought we were companions"

"sod off Alex, that roadtrip to India was a disaster"

[chrisvb]

I think Alexander's "to the strongest" Last Will, is the biggest troll move in history.

[napoleonibonaparte]

Alexander took his companions on a field trip to India...

[animeyahallo]

Parmenion: what's our plan?
Alexander: you will hold the left while I use the companion to rout their right.
Parmenion: isnt that what we do last battle? And the battle before it .... and before that battle, that's what we've been doing for years!
Alexander: hey hey hey, I mean it works you know.

[Armorius]

Invicta when are you going to release the Zack Snyder Cut of What if Caesar Lived Part 3

[KUREIJIMAN]

I still remember when this channel was about analysis of multiplayer battles of various total war games(that's how I discovered this channel because I suck lol). It makes me happy how far they've come, releasing these high quality documentaries

[krevin]

Can you cover Napoleon’s Old Guard? That’d be pretty awesome to learn about their history and equipment!

[mrbluesky]

I litteraly did a dissertation on the army of Philip of Macedon 2 days ago, and told me that it would be a good topic for one of your videos

[Duke_of_Lorraine]

"to the strongest"

And that, is how you avoid any succession crisis !

[captainmark]

I love the unity of the macedonian army. The cavalary called the companions and the infantry cald "πεζέταιροι " who means the friend infantry soldier. That's why they where so strong and loyal to their king

[joshuaiam]

Just started playing as Macedon in Total war Rome 2..can't wait to unlock this CaLV unit..shock cav💖
...

[AdeToz]

The Hetaroi, my most favourite calvary unit. Guagamela was their finest moment, perhaps followed closely by the battle of Hydaspes

[vangelisskia]

"The Persians referred to both Greeks and Macedonians as Yauna ("Ionians", their term for "Greeks"), though they distinguished the "Yauna by the sea and across the sea", from the Yaunã Takabara or "Greeks with hats that look like shields", referring to the Macedonian kausia hat." 
Engels 2010, p. 87.Engels, Johannes (2010). "Macedonians and Greeks". In Roisman, Joseph; Worthington, Ian (eds.). A Companion to Ancient Macedonia. Oxford, Chichester, & Malden: Wiley-Blackwell

[brendanobrien]

“However, the companions were different. They were shock true shock cavalry who skipped over the over the ranged foreplay and charged straight into combat at full speed. Such an attack would have been extremely dangerous in an era before stirrups and couched lance. Companions would have therefore trained exhaustively to master the maneuver. Unfortunately, their secrets are lost to the ages.” This along with the lack of any clear accounts of Chaeronea is unfortunate. Query why modern scholars would minimize the deployment of the companion cavalry against the sacred band infantry – this seems to fit the outcome of the battle and their apparent annihilation which was unprecedented. It’s strange that by the time of the Battle of Cynoscephalae, the Macedonian phalanx appears to have lost much of the flexibility that had made it so successful at battles such as Gaugamela (most of these seem to have had their genesis in Epaminondas/Pelopidas or possibly the earlier envelopment tactics of Miltiades at Marathon).

The most important cavalry unit of the antiquity. I glad that you upload this video, because the history of the army of Alexander the great, are much interesting for me and the Hetairoi were heroic in all battles taken place on Persia empire. Probably your best video for me. =D

[TimothyGower]

I've always thought that famous painting from Pompeii that is supposedly of the battle of Issus makes more sense that it's of the battle of Gaugamela

[herpydepth]

Man I was just thinking about this channel used to be called THFE Productions and it was about Prince of Macedon style Total War content with these documentary things as an every so often sort of side show thing. It’s kind of crazy how much everything has changed and I love it

[mpaulm]

This group reminds me of how important Napoleons Marshall’s were. Great lives to read up on.

[nathanofthefranks]

Did you ever hear the tragedy of the Evolution of the Roman Legions: Part 1? I thought not. It’s not a story the Invicta would tell you. Evolution of the Roman Legions: Part 1 was the 1st part in a legendary series. He had such a knowledge of the Roman Kingdom that he could even keep part 2 from being uploaded. The legend states that there are some that are still waiting, hoping for part 2.

[christopherzantiotis]

If they’re descendent from the Argive/Argead Dynasty, then they’re ethnically Doric Hellenes.

I know it is popular on channels like this to try and be neutral or even try to legitimize the claims of FYROM/North Macedonians (ethnic & linguistic Bulgarians); but the facts are as follows. First, they spoke a dialect of Hellenic. They could have spoken multiple dialects in multiple localities in the Archaic period, but the assertion that they had a completely different language is conjecture without evidence! They also wrote solely in a Hellenic script.

Secondly, they worshipped the Hellenic pantheon of Gods.

Third, they did have a Hellenic/Greek/Doric culture, because why adopt and subjugate a population and force a different culture on them which would be unpopular and very hard considering the feudal nature and tenuous power of the Macedonian government. Other cultures around them like the Illyrians and Thracians adopted many aspects of Hellenism but never identified as culturally or ethnically Hellenic like the Makedonians!

So please don’t brush aside all the evidence showing they were Hellenic. Because trying to dichotomize the words Greek and Macedonian, as though they’re mutually exclusive is intellectually dishonest and propagandistic.
I can post up a plethora of quotes that affirm Macedonian ‘Hellenicness’, if you would all like.

And PS... don’t quote me the at war with (Macedonia), very biased Demosthenes.