A theory about this group posits that a translator mistook their name for a word meaning “companion” or “follower.” A possible member of this group was forced to guard a beautiful gold-decorated plane-tree. (15[1])In an account set in Thessaly, this group is the first chosen to form an army, but (-5[1])without their general Hydarnes the Younger. (-5[1])Gold and silver pomegranate-shaped spear butts (-5[1])were wielded by (15[1])this group, (-5[1])who are sometimes conflated with the imperial (-5[1])guard’s (15[1])(*) “Apple (10[1])Bearers.” (10[1])This was the first group chosen by Mardonius to remain in Greece. (-5[2])The Median failure to break Leonidas’s lines (-5[1])forced (-5[1])Xerxes (10[1])to dispatch this (10[3]-5[1])10,000-strong (10[6]-5[1])unit (10[5])in his second (10[1])assault (10[1])at (10[1])Thermopylae. (10[6])For 10 points, “when one died, another (10[1])immediately (10[1]-5[1])replaced him” (10[1])aptly describes what elite Persian infantry unit? (10[4])■END■ (10[5]0[6])