Ancient Commandos — 7 Elite Forces from Antiquity…
While covert operations have become a hallmark of warfare in the 21st century, special forces are certainly nothing new. Armies for thousands of years have maintained battalions of highly trained elite troops to perform only the most dangerous and specialized missions.
1. The Praetorian Guard
(Latin: cohortes praetoriae) was an elite unit of the Imperial Roman army whose members served as personal bodyguards and intelligence for the Roman emperors. During the era of the Roman Republic, the Praetorians served as a small escort force for high-ranking officials such as senators or provincial governors like procurators, and also serving as bodyguards for high ranking officers within the Roman legions.
With the republic’s transition into the Roman Empire, however, the first emperor, Augustus, founded the Guard as his personal security detail. Although they continued to serve in this capacity for roughly three centuries, the Guard became notable for its intrigue and interference in Roman politics, to the point of overthrowing emperors and proclaiming their successors. In 312, the Guard was disbanded by Constantine the Great.
2. The Immortals
The Immortals were a group of 10,000 heavily armed infantry of the Persian Empire. They were the imperial guard and the standing army of the empire. The Immortals always consisted of exactly 10,000 troops. If any soldier died or fell sick, he would be immediately replaced. This created an illusion that they were immortal.
The Immortals were elite troops and were armed with a variety of weapons. Each soldier carried a sword, a spear, arrows, a bow and a shield. They didn’t wear the best of armor and had a shield made of wood and wicker which were not that good. However, they made up for this with sheer numbers. It is said that cities would surrender at the very sight of the Immortals.
3. The Samurai
The samurai were warriors from the land of the rising sun. The samurai warriors were also referred to as ‘bushi’ which means warrior. The traditional samurai code of honor, discipline and morality are known as ‘bushido’ meaning ‘the way of the warrior’ was followed by each samurai. The samurai warriors were on top of the social caste system in Japan.
The samurai were fierce warriors who were skilled in sword fighting. The most famous weapon used by the samurai was the katana which is a sharp, slightly curved blade. Many samurai also used bows called yumi. The fighting spirit and the code of honor followed by the samurai were what made them legendary. The samurai ruled over Japan for over 700 years.
4. Medieval Knights
Knights were the crack troops of the medieval era. They were heavily armored warriors who were on horseback. Only the wealthiest nobles could afford to hire a knight. Knights followed the chivalric code of conduct and were expected to exhibit a gentleman’s behavior. Knights used swords or lances as their primary weapon of choice in battle.
The knights were the elite troops in a medieval army. They were used as shock troops to punch through weak spots in the enemy line. The sheer force of a cavalry charge was enough to make the enemy units turn tail and run. Knights were used even after the introduction of gunpowder weapons. The main reason they became obsolete was due to high costs, as it was expensive to train and mobilize them.
5. Egyptian Medjay
The Army Rangers of Ancient Egypt were known as the Medjay. Originally a clan of nomadic desert warriors and scouts from Nubia, by the 16th Century BCE the group was formally incorporated into the Pharaohs’ legions. Membership was even extended to the best soldiers in the whole of the Egyptian military.
Not only did the Medjay patrol the distant and barren fringes of the realm, they served as a special paramilitary force that guarded the royal family as well as its many tombs and palaces.
6. The Jaguar Warriors
In Aztec culture, the Jaguar Warriors were society’s knights. Sure, they didn’t have horses or shiny suits of armor, but they did often wear the sable skin of the sleek and beguiling predator, their heads poking out of jaguars’ gaping maws. Instead of swords and lances, these fighters often used axes or clubs studded with shards of black obsidian (jagged volcanic rock).
The historical record seems to indicate that Jaguar Warriors commanded a high place in the Aztecs’ political hierarchy and fought ferociously against the invading Spanish conquistadores. But their spiky clubs were no match for the firepower of the Spanish.
7. The Spartans
Sparta was a prominent warrior city-state of ancient Greece. By 650 BC, it became the dominant military land-power in Greece. Only the strongest were considered to be worthy of Sparta. Babies who were weak or showed signs of deformity were left on Mt. Taygetus to die. Each Spartan was required to undergo a rigorous training known as ‘agoge’ to attain full citizenship. The word Spartan became synonymous with fearlessness, and military prowess.
The Spartans would never surrender and would rather fight to the death. During the battle of Thermopylae, they held off the Persians for three days before dying. It was a common belief in ancient Greece that one Spartan soldier was worth several from any other Greek city-state. Spartans had a large bronze shield, a spear, and a small thrusting sword, which allowed them to move in a phalanx formation.
“Elite Gear For Elite Warriors”
