Men of Bronze

Greek mercenaries of the 7th century BC. who fought in Egypt for Pharaoh Psammetichus I fighting against Assyrian influence in the kingdom. These mercenaries were mostly lonians and Carians, impossible to distinguish from each other as they were equipped with the same type of panoply. The hoplite in the foreground protects his head with an Illyrian-type helmet, while his two companions have an archaic Corinthian helmet model. The three of them wear the same equipment: bell armor, Argive shield and greaves, all made of bronze, and as offensive equipment the spear (dory) and the xiphos sheathed . As a curiosity, Herodotus suggests that the Carians invented some of the parts of the Greek panoply.