The Ancient Greeks:

Hoplites

Hoplite • A hoplite was a citizen soldier of the Ancient

Greek city states. Hoplites were primarily armed as spearmen and fought together in formation known as a PHALANX.

• The word "hoplite" derives from "hoplon”, the type of the shield used by the troops.

• A hoplite was primarily a free citizen who was individually responsible for buying his armour and weapons.

• In most Greek city states, citizens received basic military training, serving in the army for a certain amount of time.

• Spartans were renowned for their lifelong combat training and almost legendary military skills. Their greatest enemies, the Athenians, were exempted from service only after the 60th year of their lives.

Shield (Hoplon) • Made from wood & leather

• Bronze faced on edges (very thin - ½ mm). Shiny and intimidating, but not good protection

• Soldiers personalised their shields with their own designs

• Dish shaped. This gets deeper over time. Allows shield to rest on shoulder to make it easier to carry

• Agave grip – revolutionizes warfare. Putting an arm through the centre hold and gripping the strap allows more control

• Mainly defensive

• Makes close combat possible (phalanx formation)

• To lose your shield was a disgrace as it helps to protect everyone in the line

Helmet (Cranimi) • Bronze. Beaten by hand from a

single sheet

• This is the Corinthian style – the most popular and common style

• It has cut away slots for the ears

• Horsehair crest – gave height and looks intimidating

• Helmet lined with leather/felt to reduce noise and temperature

• Cranial ridge – a later addition that gives more space and air circulation

• Very uncomfortable and heavy. Worn as little as necessary. A padded cap could be worn

under the helmet to make it more comfortable, but would make it hotter

Body Armour (Linothorax) • Leather and linen glued and sewn together in

layers created rigid protection. A good defence against swords etc

• Ties onto body and offers shoulder protection

• This type of armour came to Greece in the 6th century BC via Egypt

• Painted surface reflects the heat

• Bronze scales down the unshielded side provide extra protection

• Intimidating colours such as red, white and black

• Sun clasp in centre of chest

• Octopus and tsunami imagery invokes Poseidon

Leg Protectors (Greaves) • Made from a single sheet of bronze • Spring fit • Protected the lower legs

Spear (Dory) • The hoplites principle weapon

• Sharp at both ends

• Driven into the torso or head and then twisted and pulled out to ensure maximum damage

• 9 feet in length (2.7 metres)

• Butt spike at the bottom end, rests on ground to enable soldier to relax

• Can be used to inflict wounds if the sharp end is broken, known as the lizard killer (saurater)

Sword (Xiphos) • Straight blade double edged

• For stabbing and smashing rather than slicing

• Need 4 or 5 feet to swing it (1.5 m)

• Bronze hilt

• Iron blade – very expensive

• Case hardened (packed in charcoal and bone) and put in furnace to make it stronger

• The sword was a secondary weapon and expensive. You would have to pay for your own training

• Had leather scabbard

Greek Warfare • Heavy infantryman = Hoplite.

• Armour was expensive. Hoplites bought what they could afford. Some bits (shield, helmet) are more vital than others.

• A full set of armour would cost 30 drachma = 1 month’s wages. • The set of armour used in this presentation and the education session is high end (but

not top of the range). Armour was bought by the individual, not the state.

• Greece was made up of 100s of city states. All required military service for men from 18-40 years old (60 in Sparta).

• City states were divided into tribes (like election constituencies), these were then divided into brotherhoods (like wards).

Training for Greek Warfare At the end of summer of the year that a boy turned 18, he started training at the local centre. The “Gymnasiarcos” was the head trainer. The training lasted for two years.

Year 1

• Develop athletic skills, build up stamina, and learn to move in armour

• Learn the Pyrrhic dance – chief war dance in full armour

• Hoplite race – in breastplate and shield. Intertribal competitions. Included in Olympics in 520BC

• Hoplon race – race with shield and armour the distance an arrow would travel 440yds (400m)

Year 2

• Weapons, formations (basic phalanx formation)

• Sword training – paid for by the hoplite if he wanted to learn it

• Take the Ephebic Oath – swear oath to the state

• Sent as guards on patrol duty (e.g. at acropolis) to experience army life. They would be partnered with experienced soldiers

• Once training was finished, they would be called up when required by state. Had an ordinary day job until called up (except in Sparta) – The Spartans had whole different ideology towards warfare. All Spartan boys went through very cruel training from the age of 8 and then served in the army their whole adult life.

The Greek Soldiers Oath (Ephebic Oath)

I will not bring dishonour on my sacred arms nor will I abandon my comrade wherever

I shall be stationed.

I will defend the rights of gods and men and will not leave my country smaller, when I

die, but greater and better, so far as I am able by myself and with the help of all.

I will respect the rulers of the time duly and the existing ordinances duly and all others

which may be established in the future. And if anyone seeks to destroy the ordinances I

will oppose him so far as I am able by myself and with the help of all.

I will honour the cults of my fathers. Witnesses to this shall be the gods Agraulus, Hestia,

Enyo, Enyalius, Ares, Athena the Warrior, Zeus, Thallo, Auxo, Hegemone, Heracles, and

the boundaries of my native land, wheat, barley, vines, olive trees, fig trees...

Greek Tactics The hoplite phalanx of the Archaic and Classical periods in Greece (approx. 750350 BCE) was a

formation in which the hoplites would line up in ranks in close order.

The hoplites would lock their shields together, and the first few ranks of soldiers would project their spears out over the first rank of shields.

The phalanx therefore presented a shield wall and a mass of spear points to the enemy, making frontal assaults much more difficult. It also allowed a higher proportion of the soldiers to be actively engaged in combat at a given time (rather than just those in the front rank).

When advancing towards an enemy, the phalanx would break into a run that was fast enough to create momentum but not so fast as to lose cohesion.

The opposing sides would collide viciously, possibly terrifying many of the hoplites of the front row.

The battle would then rely on the valour of the men in the front line; whilst those in the rear maintained forward pressure on the front ranks with their shields.

When in combat, the whole formation would consistently press forward trying to break the enemy formation; thus when two phalanx formations engaged, the struggle essentially became a pushing match, which the deeper phalanx would almost always win, with few recorded exceptions.

A Greek Phalanx advancing