These are the immortal armies that fought valiantly, adorned in magnificent armor…
From the Immortal army of the Spartan warriors…
The film 300, directed by Zack Snyder, introduced movie lovers around the world to the valiant and undefeated Spartan warriors, standing firm and unyielding until the very last moment. In the film, King Leonidas’s enemies vastly outnumber him, possessing terrifying armies.
Among them, the most impressive to viewers is undoubtedly the “Demonic” Immortal army. This is the only army that gives the feeling of being a worthy match for the Spartan warriors. Interestingly, these Immortals were real in history, though they were just humans and not “mutants” as depicted in the film.
Image of the Immortal in the movie 300
Why are they considered Immortals? This title was given by the Greek historian Herodotus, and only the Greeks referred to them this way. Persian historical records do not mention this army under the title “Immortal.”
Herodotus chose such a “grand” name for two reasons: This army always consisted of exactly 10,000 men; anyone who died or was rendered unable to fight would be immediately replaced. No matter what, the enemy always saw an army of exactly 10,000 Immortals. Thus, the adversaries believed that these warriors were immortal, dying only to be reborn immediately after. The second reason is undoubtedly to honor the heroic Greek warriors.
Image of the Immortal behind Xerxes I in the 1962 film 300
Of course, this army was not immortal as their name suggests. Their combat skills and equipment were also nothing like what the film 300 described.
In reality, their weapons were quite rudimentary, consisting of a shield that was far less intricate than the shields of Spartan warriors, a dagger, a bow, and arrows.
Moreover, 9,000 of the Immortals wielded spears with a round pommel resembling a pomegranate made of silver. The remaining 1,000 used spears with a golden pomegranate. They wore ordinary fabric clothing like regular soldiers, while the armor displayed in museums about the Persian Empire was only for ceremonial purposes.
Immortal had two different types of clothing. In battle, they only wore fabric like regular soldiers
Aside from having apparently “richer” weaponry than other armies, in the Persian military, the Immortals were the only ones who knew how to fight. The Persian Empire at that time did not emphasize specialization in the military. Those who joined Xerxes I’s army—who led the Persian invasion of Greece—were merely ordinary civilians who had never fought until they were handed swords and shields.
Therefore, the Immortals—who were trained “properly”—suddenly became “rare gems” in the Persian army. However, in terms of elite status, the Immortals were nothing compared to the Spartan warriors who were born to fight.
Image of combat in the Battle of Thermopylae
The most remarkable aspect of the Immortals was their spirit of bravery. The author of the book The Battle of Thermopylae – A Fight for the West, Ernle Bradford, wrote: “They showed great courage and extreme discipline. However, the Immortals realized, just like the Medes and other peoples before them, that in such a narrow path, a large number of soldiers became a burden. Short spears could not penetrate the strong defenses of the Greeks, nor could arrows surpass the bronze shields. Many previous battles have shown that courage is not enough. When faced with superior weapons, even the bravest must fall. And when those superior weapons fall into the hands of those who know nothing but war, a disastrous outcome is inevitable.”
Indeed, history only records the Immortals on the first day of battle against the Spartan warriors, with no mention on the second day. Many historians believe that on the second day, they were busy recruiting other warriors to make up the required number of 10,000.
Of course, if such tattered images were shown in films (as they appeared in the 1962 film 300), the Immortals would quickly bore the audience. Therefore, director Zack Snyder revived the portrayal of the Immortals from the comic book, wearing fearsome masks, wielding dual swords, and dressed in black outfits reminiscent of ninjas. Without discussing the unusual weapons and attire, let’s talk about the unique masks of these Immortals.
… to the Immortal army of the Mongol Empire…
One might wonder, did they really wear such masks in battle historically? Of course not, but if the question is whether there was an army that wore such masks in battle, the answer is yes, and this type of mask was used by another much more elite army than the Immortals, an army also historically recognized as Immortal. That is the Keshigten – the Imperial Guard of the Mongol Empire.
War masks were used by the Mongols in their many conquests
Only the best and most loyal warriors were allowed to join the Keshigten. Not only were they equipped to the teeth with their intimidating masks on the battlefield—which served to terrify enemies—but the Keshigten also had the opportunity to converse and learn from the Great Khan.
Subutai – the number one general of the Mongols and the world at the time also originated from such a Keshigten. But like the Persians, the Mongols did not call themselves Immortals, hence they retained the name Imperial Guard for this army.
However, they were regarded as Immortals by other armies for two reasons. First, Europeans saw all Asians as alike, so when they defeated one Mongol warrior, another who looked just like him in their eyes would seem to rise again.
Second, the Mongols fought under the principle that victory was the most important thing. They preferred to retreat and win another day rather than fight desperately to lose men; thus, killing a single ordinary Mongol warrior was an extremely difficult task for European soldiers, let alone the Guards.
The Keshigten were born as warriors, and they absorbed all the lessons from the Great Khan, making them the wolves of the battlefield, both intelligent and formidable. Initially, the Keshigten consisted of about 1,000 men, but by the time of the Great Khan Kublai, the number had risen to over 12,000.
A typical Keshigten
… the “Immortal” Army of the Medieval Era…
Unlike the Mongols, another army claimed to be immortal. This was the cavalry of the Byzantine Empire during the Middle Ages, known as Athanatoi. Thanatos is the name of the God of Death in Greek mythology, and the name Athanatoi means “the Undying.”
The reason this cavalry dared to bestow upon themselves such an “imposing” name is not without justification. It is said that during the Battle of Dyrrhachium against the Normans in 1081, Alexios I, the Byzantine Emperor and leader of the Athanatoi cavalry, nearly fell off his horse. He was only “stuck” on the horse’s back thanks to the saddle and bridle attached to him.
Three Norman knights—famous warriors known for their powerful lances—charged at Alexios I, stabbing him, but he did not even suffer… a scratch. One lance struck him so hard that he returned to his original position in the saddle without any wounds, and Alexios I miraculously escaped danger.
An artistic depiction of the Athanatoi cavalry
The reason Alexios could be so “armored and tough” is because the armor of the Athanatoi cavalry was a masterpiece of Byzantine military engineering, the most durable shield the world had ever seen in the medieval era.
The chest armor of the Athanatoi consisted of four layers, the first being called Zava or Kavadion, primarily made from tightly packed cotton (similar to the bedding we use today). The next layer was Lorikion Alysidoton, armor made of iron mesh.
Following this layer was Klivanion, iron armor covering the chest and surrounding areas. The outermost layer was Kremesmata—a type of iron mesh armor covering the entire body resembling a long skirt to protect the thighs, legs, and hips.
In addition, the Athanatoi were equipped with Podopsella—steel coverings attached to the calves, and Manikellia covering the shoulders and arms, also made from similar materials. The final piece of armor was Epolorikion, a cloak of blue and red, made from a material similar to cotton blankets. It was believed that even direct gunfire could not harm the Athanatoi, let alone classic lances.
Recreated leg armor based on records of Byzantine military
Many may wonder how the Athanatoi wore such durable armor yet still had a weakness—their horses. What if enemies attacked the horses to make them fall? This concern had been considered by military experts since 300 BC. They used a layer of armor resembling fish scales to cover the horses and called it Kataphractoi (meaning Fully Armored Cavalry).
Later, the Byzantine army utilized Kataphractoi as an essential component of their forces. Most Byzantine cavalry were Kataphractoi except for a few light cavalry units used for reconnaissance. Thus, not only the Athanatoi but also their horses were protected down to their hooves.
Many historical records indicate that the number of Athanatoi reached up to 10,000 to mimic the Immortals of ancient Persia. However, the existence of this Immortal cavalry lasted only until 1200, declining alongside the weakening of the Byzantine Empire (which fell in 1453).
Although regarded as the standard of Byzantine military, the Athanatoi were not truly effective on the battlefields of that time—where archers and fast-moving cavalry dominated, rather than “tanks.” They were “undying,” but if the main army fell apart, defeat was inevitable.
… and the Royal Guard of France in Modern Times
Napoleon’s Royal Guard – the Immortals of France
Since then, tales of “Immortal” armies have not been as frequent. It wasn’t until 1800 that Napoleon Bonaparte’s Royal Guard was also referred to as the Immortal. However, this name did not imply literal “immortality,” but rather that these French soldiers were the chosen ones in the French army, receiving higher pay, better equipment, and more careful attention, much like the Immortals of ancient Persia.
Perhaps part of the reason that later nations did not dare to use the name Immortal for their armies anymore was due to its overly grand connotation. No matter how skilled or talented they were, they were still human, and humans cannot resist death. Especially on the battlefield, death is something that cannot be avoided—it is just a matter of when.
