Perhaps wars and battles originate from the creation of the world. Some troops died due to insufficient training, others developed entire strategies. A lot of historical evidence has come down to this day about special soldiers of antiquity, who fought for ten. Now such troops are called elite.
1. Spartans
Shot from the movie "300 Spartans"
Photo: thr.ru
The famous 300 Spartans, whose image is sung in legends and so popular in modern cinema, belonged to the military elite - the hippeas. Despite the fact that "hippae" in translation from Greek means "horsemen", among the Spartans there were mainly foot units.
Battle of Thermopylae. Jacques-Louis David, 1814
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Photo: liveinternet.ru
The famous episode of the Battle of Thermopylae remains in history. King Leonidas could not gather an army against the Persian king Xerxes due to the fact that celebrations were held in honor of the gods in Sparta, and the Delphic oracle predicted either the defeat of Sparta, or the death of one of its kings. Leonid took on the campaign only his personal guard - 300 hippey. None of the warriors dared to retreat, since he could return home only with a shield or on a shield. The Spartans held back an army of thousands of Persians until the local resident Ephialtes led the enemy army along a mountain path, and it surrounded the Spartans.
2. Ancient Greek warriors from Thebes
In Thebes there was a detachment of 150 homosexual couples.
Photo: gay-nerds.com
Another 300 no less brave warriors, about whom the legends were laid, were in Thebes. It is curious that the detachment consisted of 150 homosexual couples. The military leaders believed that the soldiers would not flee from the battlefield, leaving their dear friend alone. After a series of victories, the detachment was defeated during a clash with the forces of Tsar Philip, Father Alexander the Great. Despite the fact that the detachment from Thebes died, the Macedonian king noted the bravery and courage with which 300 soldiers fought.
3. Persian "immortals"
The image of soldiers from the guard of the "immortals" on one of the Persian royal palaces.
Photo: liveinternet.ru
Ancient Persia also had its own military elite. But these super-warriors numbered not 300 people, but 10,000. They were called the army of "immortals", because in the event of the death of a soldier, another one took his place in order to maintain the same number. "Immortals" had their own privileges: during the campaigns they were provided with women and servants, clothes made of expensive materials. But, judging by history, the training of the Persian military elite was very inferior to the ordinary Spartans. After a series of Greco-Persian wars, the "immortals" were disbanded.
4. Janissaries
Turkish Janissary.
Photo: diletant.media
The Janissaries were considered the Turkish military elite. They were Christian youths who were taken to barracks-monasteries and brought up in Islamic traditions. Officially, the Sultan's personal guard was considered his slaves. Janissaries participated in campaigns of conquest and crushed uprisings in the country.
Until the 16th century, the Janissaries were forbidden to marry and acquire their own home. In the 17th century, the military elite suddenly realized their power, and the sultan had to be afraid of his "defenders". Janissaries were engaged in trade with might and main, tied the knot and participated in palace intrigues. In 1826, the Janissaries were abolished as a guard. When they tried to rebel, their barracks were shot.
5. Warangi
Warangs are from Europe.
Photo: cs629202.vk.me
In Byzantium, the emperor also had his own special army, only it consisted not of local soldiers, but of immigrants from Western and Northern Europe, united by one common name "Varangi" (derived from "Varangians"). Comparing the skills of the Byzantines and Europeans, one of the historians called the former "clay pots" and the latter "metal cauldrons."
The mercenaries were very loyal to the emperor, they consisted of the palace guards and elite troops in military campaigns. Warangs were considered disciplined warriors who passed the honorary right to serve under the emperor from father to son. After the victory of the crusaders in 1204 and their capture of Constantinople, the Varangs scattered in all directions.