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Description

Commissioned artwork (2006) concerning the naval battle of Salamis-Copyright: Christos Giannopoulos
Regardless of the nationality of the Marines present in each fleet squadron of the Achaemenid Persian Empire, an additional unit of trusted Iranian-speaking armed men (Persians, Medes or Saka) was on board in each ship who supervised the behavior and morale of the crew(Herodotus, book 7-96) The depicted marine belongs to the nation of Saka (Iranian relatives of Scythians living east of Black sea) and is a member of a select unit favored by the “King of kings” as denoted by the decorated boss and shape of his imperial "Hittite-Boeotian" style shield, while the linear motifs of his clothing are indicative of a particular unit or clan.

In his right thigh is attached with thongs the short “akinaka” Iranian sword and as offensive weapons he carries marine throwing javelins and a Phrygian axe (normally in land battles Saka warriors used a pointed “sagaris” axe and shields of cane and leather construction). Many Saka marines could also carry bow and arrows-not visible here.

The Saka Marines were recruited from riverside areas and were therefore one of the few able swimmers of the Persian Imperial Army, hence the term "Aquatic Sakae" used by Greeks. According to Herodotus the term “Saka” applied to all Scythian nomads from Persians, but for the Greeks “Sakae” were called only the Iranian nomads who lived east of the Black Sea and Eurasian Caucasus mountain spine.

(Armor research - illustration: Christos Giannopoulos)

Description

Commissioned artwork (2006) concerning the naval battle of Salamis-Copyright: Christos Giannopoulos
Regardless of the nationality of the Marines present in each fleet squadron of the Achaemenid Persian Empire, an additional unit of trusted Iranian-speaking armed men (Persians, Medes or Saka) was on board in each ship who supervised the behavior and morale of the crew(Herodotus, book 7-96) The depicted marine belongs to the nation of Saka (Iranian relatives of Scythians living east of Black sea) and is a member of a select unit favored by the “King of kings” as denoted by the decorated boss and shape of his imperial "Hittite-Boeotian" style shield, while the linear motifs of his clothing are indicative of a particular unit or clan.

In his right thigh is attached with thongs the short “akinaka” Iranian sword and as offensive weapons he carries marine throwing javelins and a Phrygian axe (normally in land battles Saka warriors used a pointed “sagaris” axe and shields of cane and leather construction). Many Saka marines could also carry bow and arrows-not visible here.

The Saka Marines were recruited from riverside areas and were therefore one of the few able swimmers of the Persian Imperial Army, hence the term "Aquatic Sakae" used by Greeks. According to Herodotus the term “Saka” applied to all Scythian nomads from Persians, but for the Greeks “Sakae” were called only the Iranian nomads who lived east of the Black Sea and Eurasian Caucasus mountain spine.

(Armor research - illustration: Christos Giannopoulos)