Units of History - The 10,000 Immortals DOCUMENTARY

Summary by Krater

This video explores the origins, training, equipment, and combat tactics of the Immortals, the elite 10,000-man Persian warrior unit, examining both historical accounts and modern archaeological clues.

From the video

Answers: Who were the Persian Immortals and how did they fight?

• Persian Empire military history
• The Immortals elite unit
• Herodotus historical accounts
• Persian infantry equipment and weapons
• Battle tactics of the Immortals

What it concludes

• The Immortals were likely originally a bodyguard unit for the kings of Persia that successfully scaled up to 10,000 men.
• Persian nobles destined for the elite unit underwent rigorous childhood and youth training in running, swimming, horse riding, and archery.
• The Immortals were heavily armed infantry equipped with scaled armor, wicker shields, composite bows, and short spears featuring golden or silver pomegranate designs.
• During battle, the Immortals were likely deployed where the action was expected to be fiercest to shore up friendly lines and break enemy ranks.
• The Sassanid Empire and the 1942 Iranian army later resurrected the concept of the immortal guard in the form of heavy cavalry and motorized infantry units.