"Symmachiarii... Symmawhatii?" Topic

Planning to finally get to my EIR this year… after numerous false starts. Some research has informed me Symmachiarii were the local allied units yes?

Question for all the experts out there. If you were doing a few units of Symmachiarii for an Eastern EIR army (formed javelinmen not skirmishers) what would you choose? A nationality or mini range you love would be really helpful.

I'm hoping this might turn into one of those "OH boy I get to paint some of those" moments :)

Thanks everyone.

Yes, "symmachiarii" is a term used for irregular allied troops, deriving ultimately from Greek "symmachos", "allied", from sym-machos, roughly "together-fighting". Examples would be the "Colchian and Rhizian javelinmen" in Arrian's Order of Battle Against the Alans (where Colchis is modern Western Georgia, as in the Golden Fleece story, and "Rhizians" are from Rhizus, a town on the Black Sea coast not far from Colchis); or the German clubmen and probably the slingers on Trajan's Column.

For eastern javelinmen, any generic Near Eastern figures would probably do – loose trousers, sleeved tunic, optional cap, round or oval shield. Armenian figures, perhaps? You don't mention what scale you're looking at.

Thanks Gurkhan, that's interesting info. I'm building in 28mm, my fist guess was Armenians so I was on the right track, just have to source some minis in 28 that fit nicely with Victrix and BTD.

I always enjoy the allied contingents. Add a lot of variety.