abstract
| - The Companions (, hetairoi) were the elite cavalry of the Macedonian army from the time of king Philip II of Macedon and reached the most prestige under Alexander the Great, and have been regarded as the best cavalry in the ancient world and the first shock cavalry. Chosen Companions/Hetairoi formed the elite guard of the king (Somatophylakes).
- The Companion Cavalry were the elite cavalry of the Diadochi. Originally they had been formed by Philip II of Macedon and used with great success by his son Alexander the Great. Under the Diadochi the Companions would vary from army to army. It was reported that the egyptian Companions were armed with a cavalry shield, unlike Alexanders Companions. Other variations were the Seleucid Companions who, during later years, were armed almost like Cataphracts. The standard gear for the Companions was, however, an open faced helmet, a xyston lance, a heavy breastplate, greaves and a kopis. They were drawn from the Macedonian nobility and as such were excellent horsemen and they rode the toughest horses. They were unrivaled on the battlefield until the rise of the Cataphracts.
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