The basic structure of the Ancient Macedonian army was the division between the companion cavalry (hetairoi) and the foot companions (pezhetairoi), augmented by various allied troops, foreign levied soldiers, and mercenaries.; . The foot companions existed perhaps since the reign of Alexander I of Macedon.. Macedonian cavalry, wearing muscled cuirasses, became renowned in Greece during and after their involvement in the Peloponnesian War, at times siding with either Athens or Sparta.; see also for further details. Macedonian infantry in this period consisted of poorly trained shepherds and farmers, while the cavalry was composed of noblemen.. As evidenced by early 4th century BC artwork, there was a pronounced Spartan influence on the Macedonian army before PhilipII.. Nicholas Viktor Sekunda states that at the beginning of PhilipII's reign in 359BC, the Macedonian army consisted of 10,000 infantry and 600 cavalry,. yet Malcolm Errington cautions that these figures cited by ancient authors should be treated with some skepticism..
The basic structure of the Ancient Macedonian army was the division between the companion cavalry (hetairoi) and the foot companions (pezhetairoi), augmented by various allied troops, foreign levied soldiers and mercenaries.; . The foot companions existed perhaps since the reign of Alexander I of Macedon.. Macedonian cavalry, wearing muscled cuirasses, became renowned in Greece during and after their involvement in the Peloponnesian War, at times siding with either Athens or Sparta.; see also for further details. Macedonian infantry in this period consisted of poorly trained shepherds and farmers, while the cavalry was composed of noblemen.. As evidenced by early 4th century BC artwork, there was a pronounced Spartan influence on the Macedonian army before PhilipII.. Nicholas Viktor Sekunda states that at the beginning of PhilipII's reign in 359BC, the Macedonian army consisted of 10,000 infantry and 600 cavalry,. yet Malcolm Errington cautions that these figures cited by ancient authors should be treated with some skepticism..