Macedonian Elephants

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This ESSEX 28mm model Indian Elephant is one of their best. I love the early Successors period and this single veteran perched atop the beast with his Sarrissa is just too cool. I like many ESSEX models but some are very squat and their facial details are sometimes comical...but this and a few others match up to any figures on the market today!

Elephants were prominant in all the Early Successor armies that could get access to them. The Ptolemies had no elephants until they started capturing the smaller "African Forest" elephants (now extinct) when they learned of their use by Carthage.

Antigonos got his initial beasts from the Alexandrian herd and those he collected from conquered rivals. It is interesting to note that although the Successors introduced war elephants to Carthage and Rome, it was Rome who had elephants when they defeated the later Antigonids. Herds were impossible to maintain as even today it is easier to train wild elephants than raise them in captivity..the Successors herds eventually died out.

I call this elephant "Ajax" after one so named by Alexander himself!

This model reminds me of the terrifying scene described in Mary Renault's "Funeral Games" where 300 conspirators were buried up to their necks and these elephants "squished" their heads on command from Perdikkas... no wonder people didn't like him! Remember we are talking about people who split a dog in half then marched between it to purify themselves for war!

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