"Help with Pyrrhic tunic colors" Topic

I got a bunch of cav and pike from Aventine and didn't realize I'd have so much trouble deciding tunic colors. I know that this has been a bugbear for many and that much "ink" has been spilt here and other places (I've seen some past tomb paintings posted), but I'm wondering if people can tell me what they've done or know. I've especially looked in Opsrey's "Macedonian Armies after Alexander" and I'm almost left with more questions than answers. For cavalry they show a lot of elite units with most everyone wearing purple armor and tunics and saffron cloaks(most plates dated right after Alexander died); in fact, judging from that book, purple seems pretty common. From what I can gather thus far, at the time of Pyrrhus there is less uniformity of clothing (whereas with later Macedonians there are units with more uniformity). I'd like to know if what I have seems on point as far as we know. Here are my units in question:

Thessalian lancers: I'm using red tunics on one unit, white on another. Would plain white be more demeaning for these guys, given that they're probably higher status? (not sure if the term "elite" would fit them, though it very well might).

Agema cavalry: ??? I like the picture of Aventine's with silver helmets and blue tunics, but is that supported?

Elite/Chaeonian phalanx: Any idea if they would have uniformity of clothing?

Regular Macedonian and Epirote phalanxes: plain white and crimson.

Also, any indication that colored helmets were prevalent still at this time? I kinda like bronze.

Thanks for any help

I don't imagine you will find much on Pyrrhus specifically. The best thing I've seen for tunic colours is Stephane Thion's Soldat Lagide, which has a lot of info on Ptolemaic tunic colours drawn from tomb paintings.

link

In French, but very useful. Also perhaps the recent Macedonian army book by Nick Secunda?

Mars,IMHO go with what you think is right.Some of my cavalry units the capes are painted blue with yellow trim.If you want to see some of my figures go to 50 shades of legions or go to BigRedBat blog. He has some GREAT looking figures! Mike Adams

Some of the wall painting are good source material for this period. Also "JJ" might come a long, he has access to some good sources. Myself I usually go with what feel right at the moment and I too love to use Bronze.

Off white, madder red or an earthy blue would be common colors. However, there are no sources saying what color the tunics were.

This is asked a lot so I posted this to my website so I will always have it handy :)

It's a contemporary tomb. The colors show the ranges possible.
The new Sekunda Osprey has reconstructions of these.

Uniformity is in the eye of the beholder.

I think it's clear that there were painted helmets as well as bare metal. One thing we are learning each year is that far more iron armor and helmets were available.

Some of Pyrrhus' phalangites were on loan from Ptolemy Keraunos.. so they are highly likely well equipped. Epirote phalangites were city militia, herders, and javelinmen until Pyrrhus captured gear from Demetrius' army-- so they could be more rag tag.

There's really no definitive answer, but reasoned guesses can be made.