Plural of argyraspis; elite Macedonian shield-bearing infantry units known for their distinctive silver shields, particularly famous under Alexander the Great.
From Greek 'argyros' (silver) + 'aspis' (shield), literally 'silver shields.' The term specifically referred to the elite guard units of Macedonian armies.
The 'Argyraspides' were Alexander the Great's legendary bodyguards, and their name reveals their most distinctive feature—they carried silver shields so recognizable that the enemy could identify them from a distance, making them psychological weapons.
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