ARGYRAS´PIDES
ARGYRAS´PIDES (
ἀργυράσπιδες), a division of the Macedonian army of Alexander the
Great, who were so called because they carried shields
[p. 1.185]covered with silver plates. They were picked men, and were
commanded by Nicanor, the son of Parmenion, and were held in high honour by
Alexander. After the death of Alexander they followed Eumenes, but
afterwards they deserted to Antigonus, and delivered Eumenes up to him.
Antigonus, however, soon broke up the corps, finding it too turbulent to
manage. (
Diod. 17.57,
58,
59,
18.63,
19.12,
41,
43,
48;
Just. 12.7; Curtius,
4.13.27; Plutarch,
Plut. Eum. 13, &c.; Droysen,
Nachfolg.
Alex. passim.) The Greek kings of Syria seem to have had a corps of
the same name in their army: Livy mentions them as the royal cohort in the
army of Antiochus the Great (
Liv. 37.40;
Plb. 5.79). The Emperor Alexander Severus, among
other things in which he imitated Alexander the Great, had in his army
bodies of men who were called
argyroaspides and
chrysoaspides. (Lamprid.
Alex.
Sev. 50.)
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P.S]
