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Class: missile · Category: infantry · Men per unit: 40

These Ephebic Archers from the city of Kyrene are youngsters who are being drilled and educated in the local gymnasium. There, they will be groomed into proper citizens. Given their social status, these boys from the higher middle classes and the elite are not dressed in a simple tunic, like the average archer. Their status affords them lavishly coloured linothorakes with pteryges, capes, as well as a fancy combination of various types of hats. Young, relatively well-protected and eager to prove themselves, these Kyrenaian Ephebic Archers are potentially mortal missile infantry!

Throughout the Hellenistic world, cities knew an institution called ‘ephebeia’, which entailed the general education of elite and upper middle-class youngsters in gymnasia. While during the Roman era, the original military aspect dwindled or transformed into para-military ceremonies, the academic consensus is that in the third century BC the focus of ephebes’ training was clearly athletic and military. Intellectual pursuits seem to have been present, but of comparatively minor importance (Pleket, Ephebes and Horses (2012), pp. 324-325).

The city of Kyrene possessed such a gymnasium in the timeframe of RIS, both physically and administratively situated in the centre of the polis. The boys would have been trained by ‘those who teach in archery, horse riding, and training with weapons’ (SEG 9.1 Il. 43-5). As Pleket (2012, p. 325) argues, it is clear that they had a military function. It may come as a surprise that the Ephebes did not train any formation warfare when most of them were destined to serve either in the royal phalanx or the regiment of the Hypaspists. It seems as if the tradition, the ritual and religious meaning of the Ephebeia was stronger than any practical concerns (Chankowski, Violence (2017), p. 44). In our mod, Kyrenaian Ephebes fighting on horseback are represented by the ‘Triakatioi’, whereas this unit represents those excelling at archery, instead.

	Primary	Secondary
Attack	8	4
Charge bonus	1	1
Type	missile · archery	melee · blade
Damage	piercing	piercing
Projectile	arrow	—
Range	120	—
Ammunition	25	—

	Primary	Secondary
Total	24	—
Armour	8	—
Defence skill	16	—
Shield	0	—

Hit points	1
Modifier against mounts	horse +1 · chariot +1 · camel +1
Ground: scrub / sand / forest / snow	0 / 0 / 0 / 0
Charge distance	30
Formations	Square

Technical stats

Time between blows (primary / secondary)	2.5 s / 2.5 s
Extra fatigue in hot climates	-2
Collision mass per man (1.0 is normal)	0.96
Spacing between men: close / loose	1.2 × 2.8 m / 2.16 × 5.04 m
Default ranks	5

In battle: Very good stamina

A core roster unit for one faction, which can raise it anywhere it holds the right building:

Cyrene

Exactly what a settlement must have, route by route (3)

Building	Also requires
Indirect Rule	Garrison Building or Tier 1 Military Industrial Complex · Tier 1 Colony
Direct Rule	Garrison Building or Tier 1 Military Industrial Complex · Tier 1 Colony
Homeland	Garrison Building or Tier 1 Military Industrial Complex