"Representing the Getae?" Topic

Would Dacians or more classical looking Thracians look more appropriate as Macedonian wars era Getae?

Let me know
Thanks
Austin

Well, Thucydides in the 5th century says "Now the Getae and their neighbours border on the Scythians, and are equipped like them, for they are all horse-archers". And on the Persepolis royal tombs, the throne-bearer labelled "Skudra", which is the name of the Thracian satrapy, is actually dressed like a Scythian. The Sveshtari tomb, which is probably that of a 3rd-century Getic king. shows the king bare-legged in a tunic – could just be imitating the Greeks, but does look like a "traditional" Thracian as well.

So I'd ignore the Dacians and go for Thracians with some Scythian gear: link is the reconstruction of Getae cavalry from Chris Webber's Thracian Osprey. Several firms make "Getae horse-archers" in Scythian trousers (Essex and Xyston in 15mm at least) and also "North Thracian nobles" in scale armour (based mostly on plaques from Triballian territory, but close enough).

But how different would Getae horse archers be from Parthian, Phrygian, Dacian or Sarmation horse archers?

link

Dacians don't appear to have used horse-archers, nor do Phrygians (who in any case would be centuries earlier). You might or might not be able to tell a Geta from a Sarmatian of the same date, but most illustrations and figures of Sarmatians and Parthians are centuries later than the period enquired about, so with different archery equipment, swords, etc.

If I were assembling a Getic Hail Caesar army, what ratio of horse archers to footmen would I be using?
Should I just use the Scythian list, with thracian peltasts?

Thanks for the info so far, very useful
Thanks
Austin

Arrian says that the Getae fielded 4,000 cavalry and 10,000 infantry against Alexander. I think that may be the only figure we have.

Does Arrian Delineate troop types in those figures?

Thanks
Austin

"Does Arrian Delineate troop types in those figures?"

No.

Austin – have you looked at Duncan Head's Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars? Can be downloaded from the web.

Page 127 has a Getic Horse archer – with added bronze helmet, talks about heavy Skythian influence. Page 29 discusses Thracians – 25-40% cavalry with the 4,000 horse and 10,000 foot figure above. Thucydides is quoted for the Getai – Scythian style horse archers and Head comments that all cavalry forces may have been used as raids with infantry used for home defence.

Odrysians did have elite heavy cavalry with attached light infantry.

Garry