Hypaspistai, or hypaspists, were elite foot guardsmen as used by Alexander the Great's Macedonian army. They often fought on the right of the Foot Companions; the right was the position of honor in most Greek armies. Alexander the Great fighting the Persian king Darius (Pompei mosaic, from a 3rd century BC original Greek painting, now lost). ...

Examples of their use include the Battle of Chaeronea (338 BC) where he exploited their mobility tactically to good effect. Two famous ancient battles were fought at Chaeronea in Boeotia: Battle of Chaeronea (338 BC) Battle of Chaeronea (86 BC) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC 340s BC - 330s BC - 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 343 BC 342 BC 341 BC 340 BC 339 BC - 338 BC - 337 BC 336 BC 335...

Arrian's phrase 'tous kouphotatous te kai ama euoplotatous' (eg atIV 28 viii) has frequently been rendered as 'lightest armed' although Brunt Appendix XIX paragraph 9 concedes it is more properly translated as 'nimblest' or 'most agile'.

The hypaspists were raised from the whole kingdom rather than on a cantonal basis; they were the King's Army rather than the army of the Kingdom. Alexander was subsequently to reorganise the whole army along these lines in order to strengthen his authority over the otherwise powerful local allegiance felt by his men. In politics, a country (or in some cases, a group of countries) over which a king or queen reigns, is a kingdom, see: monarchy. ...

In battle they were probably armed just like the foot companions with aspis (shield), spolas, helmet, greaves and sarissai although their equipment would be more ornate. A greave (from 12th century French greve shin, of uncertain origin) is a piece of armour that protects the leg. ... The Sarissa (or sarisa) was and 18 foot (6 m) long double pointed pike used in the Macedonian phalanx. ...