The REAL Immortals: Unveiling Persia's Elite Warriors

If you have seen the movie 300 you have seen this ridiculous over the top depiction of the Immortals, the backbone of the Caymanid Empire. But in reality what were the Immortals actually like and how did they get their name? The story of the Immortals begins with the rise of the Caymanid Empire under Cyrus the Great in the 6th century BC. The Immortals most likely started out as a bodyguard unit but as the empire grew and expanded from northern Greece all the way to the Indus River the Immortals expanded to their final number of 10,000. When looking at the history of the Immortals we are lacking sufficient written records. There are no written records of the Immortals in Persian sources. Much of our knowledge is derived from Herodotus, even the name Immortals stems from him. But Herodotus is not a reliable source and in very many ways was an anti-Persian propagandist. However with careful reading and utilizing other sources such as artwork we can attempt to paint an accurate picture. The Immortals were not common constructs but they're drawn from the elite of Persian society. Many were nobles or members of high-ranking families ensuring both their loyalty to the empire and their motivation to maintain its stability. Their armor while often less heavy than that of the Greek hoplites or Roman legionaries was designed for agility and effectiveness in the diverse terrains the Persian army would encounter. Their armor was interwoven with gold, they wore gold jewelry and even their tunics may have been studded with precious stones. Their typical armament included a long spear, a bow, a short sword and a wicker shield. Their efficiency in combat was matched by their tactical flexibility. Trained in multiple forms of warfare they could engage enemies in close combat with their spears or swords or unleash a deadly volley of arrows from a distance. The unit was unique for many reasons not least because of his constant strength. Regardless of casualties the Immortals always numbered exactly 10,000 men. If a soldier was killed, injured or incapacitated he was immediately replaced by another ensuring that the unit never appeared to diminish in its size. This practice led to the perception that they were immoral, a force that can never truly be depleted hence their nickname. It wasn't just their replenishment that made them formidable, the soldiers were also highly trained and well equipped, standing far above the regular infantry in both discipline and capability. The Immortals were more than just elite soldiers, they served as the core of the Caymanid military strategy. Their responsibilities ranged from acting as the king's personal bodyguard to being deployed as a shock force in major military campaigns. Wherever the empire faced threats the Immortals were often at the forefront. In addition to their battlefield prowess the Immortals were also instrumental in maintaining internal security within the Persian empire. The vastness of the Caymanid empire meant that uprisings and rebellions were a constant threat and the Immortals as the most reliable and loyal troops were frequently deployed to Quasar's movements before they could spread. In this sense they were not just soldiers but guardians of the empire's stability. The Immortals were present at every significant battle of the empire. They were at the battle of Timbera where Cyrus the Great incorporated Lydia, western Turkey, into the empire which brought the empire onto the doorstep of the Greek world. And they were also there at the battle of Pelusium in 525 BC when Cyrus the Great's son Cambyses II became pharaoh and took Egypt under Persian control. And of course the battles where the Immortals became most famous are the ones involving the Greek city states. At the battle of Marathon in 490 BC the Persian empire under Darius I sought to punish the Greek city-states, particularly Athens, for their support of the Ionian Revolt, a rebellion that had threatened Persian control in Asia Minor. Darius dispatched a large invasion force to Greece which included the Immortals. At Marathon the Persians faced off against the Athenians in a battle that would become legendary. Despite their training and formidable reputation the Immortals found themselves outmaneuvered by the smaller Athenian army. Though the Immortals fought bravely the Persian army was defeated making a rare but significant setback for the Achaemenid empire. The Immortals most famous appearance in history came during the battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC, one of the most well-known battles of antiquity. This time the Persian empire was led by Xerxes I, Darius' son, who sought to avenge his father's defeat at Marathon and bring Greece under Persian control. Thermopylae was a narrow mountain pass that the Persian army needed to cross to advance into central Greece. King Leonidas of Sparta along with 300 Spartans and other Greek allies blocked the pass to determine the hold of the vastly larger Persian force. For two days the Greeks held their ground against repeated Persian assaults. Frustrated by the resistance Xerxes ordered the Immortals into the frame, confident that his elite force would break the Greek defense. However, even the Immortals found themselves thwarted by the narrow pass and the discipline of the Spartan-led force. When Xerxes was told of a mountain pass by the Greek trader Ephialtes, it was his Immortals he sent to encircle the remaining Greek troops. Although the battles against the Greeks are what made the Immortals famous, these battles weren't as important to the Persians. They were merely frontier battles in a vast empire, and their defeats never threatened the power and stability of the empire. It wasn't until Alexander the Great's invasion into the empire where the Immortals finally became immortal. After the Battle of Guagamala 331 BC and the collapse of the empire, the Immortals were no more, either being disbanded or incorporated into Alexander's army. I hope you enjoyed this episode of the Odyssey Story. This is a brand new channel, so if you enjoy the content and would like to see more, please like and subscribe. See you next time!