Arcani

An artistic depiction of a member of the Arcani during the Second Acro-Sabrian War, ca. 286 BCE.

The Arcani, also known as Praetorians or Archonai, were a type of elite infantry and cavalry in the army of the Acrean Empire and the Kingdom of Acrea. The ancient Arcani consisted of a core of heavy infantry, supported by a heavy cavalry corps. The most elite formation within the army of imperial-era Acrea, the Arcani were renowned for their exceptional combat prowess, intimidating battlefield presence, and high-quality weapons and armour. The Arcani were considered to be an iconic embodiment of the virtues of ancient Acrean culture such as discipline, fitness, and strength in mind and body. Though originally composed of legionary volunteers who underwent unique trials and training, the Arcani eventually grew into a psuedo-hereditary organisation, with veteran Arcani being regarded as a special social class similar to noble cavalry (Riddære). This was reinforced when the practice of the aleiðval was instituted by Aoric I in 275 BCE. Referring both to the institution and the regime practiced there, the aleiðval was a strict regime of training and education which parents could enter their sons (and in some recorded cases, daughters) into at the age of eight. Sponsored by the state, the aleiðval put pupils through a rigorous curriculum that would last until the age of 20. Although much of the education at the aleiðval focused on fostering martial skills such as cunning, critical thought, and strategy, pupils were also instructed in literature, poetry, academics, and politics. Accompanying this education was sports and wargames, reinforcing a strict fitness regime. Pupils were considered to have passed the aleiðval once they reached the age of 20, having satisfactorily reached all of the milestones and expectations set by their instructors, at which point they were inducted as full warriors.

The Arcani have been the subject of intense modern historical scholarly attention. The legend of the Arcani's superior battlefield prowess and discipline has been variously attributed to their upbringing, training, usage, circumstance, or outright propaganda by various historians. Modern academic consensus takes a middle ground, pointing out that while the Arcani were exceptionally skilled and disciplined warriors, perhaps even among other elite soldiers of antiquity, their reputation for near-invulnerability both in antiquity and afterwards is in part due to the careful employment of the Arcani by Acrean generals. Arcani were rarely deployed in battle without adequate support and careful forethought, and were often deployed in critical positions. Historians also often point to the cultivation of the Arcani's reputation in the ancient world as an important part of their legend, as even when on the losing side of a battle the Arcani were often depicted in a heroic and determined light.