Immortal Warrior

Who Wants to Live Forever? 

There is much to see at the British Museum, as one might expect.

Though, for the Emperor, there was little to rival the original freeze depiction of a Persian Immortal warrior taken from the imperial palace at Susa (present day Iran).

It is the Ancient Greek historian Herodotus who tells us: 

''The Ten Thousand, who were all Persians and all picked men, were led by Hydarnes, the son of Hydarnes. They were called "the Immortals," for the following reason. If one of their body failed either by the stroke of death or of disease, forthwith his place was filled up by another man, so that their number was at no time either greater or less than 10,000.'' 

''Of all the troops the Persians were adorned with the greatest magnificence, and they were likewise the most valiant. Besides their arms, which have been already described, they glittered all over with gold, vast quantities of which they wore about their persons. They were followed by litters, wherein rode their concubines, and by a numerous train of attendants handsomely dressed. Camels and sumpter-beasts carried their provision, apart from that of the other soldiers.''

[Herodotus, Histories VII, 83]