Hoplite

the earliest written account of Greek warfare composed circa 750 BC. In his epic, Homer describes a style of warfare that, at first glance, appears to be alien to hoplite warfare that was present in the 5th-century BC. However, there is literary evidence in the Iliad that might contest that. Additionally, recent archaeological discoveries reinforce the idea that hoplite warfare may not be as clear cut as convention suggests. While Homeric and hoplite warfare may not be the exact same, they may not be exact opposites either. Furthermore, there is a widely-accepted idea that the emergence of hoplite warfare signifies the development of political and social rights, commonly referred to as the “hoplite revolution.” Contrary to this belief, there is evidence to support that the hoplite emerges earlier…

The role the thetes played is quite evident, as the condition they were in before democracy contrasts sharply with the situation they are in after democracy becomes the favored form of government. Thetes were considered to be the lowest class of citizens because they had no land, and therefore could not serve as hoplites, rendering their usefulness to the state near zero. Only men who fought in the phalanx or with the cavalry were of any military worth. This changed with the transformation of…

of foot soldiers in a winged position bordering the oncoming enemy. Some states like Athens and Rhodes assembled fleets of warships that allowed them to create trading partnerships and place troops in foreign territory, this both established new and protected existing colonies. Ancient Greek warriors were called hoplites; they were named so after the large shield they carried, the hoplon. Greek warriors were usually civilian males, either volunteering or picked to become soldiers. They were…

infantry with a sarissa a long spear 18 feet long, nearly twice as long as the usual spear carried by the usual Greek infantry known as hoplites. In rearming the Macedonian army Philip had to do two things first he had to devise new systems of tactics and weapons and the armaments his innovations reflected a change of tactics that changed the face of warfare until the arrival of the Roman legions. To create this army Philip had to pull off a social economic…

The events of the Hoplite reform and the strengthening claim for isonomia inevitably reshaped the social and political structure of the polis. The mindset developed in the interior of the phalanx and the ensuing political capital acquired by the middle class represented a threat to the aristocratic claim to power. Nonetheless, the transition to democracy was far from expedite and such form of government arose only after Kleisthenes’ reforms. Ironically, the aristocracy played a crucial and…

In The Other Greeks, Hanson suggests a similar socioeconomic model of the Hoplite reform, yet he centers his study on the object of farming land rather than the whole picture of tradeoffs between the hoplite and the agricultural activities. He concurs with Viggiano and Cartledge in that overpopulation and relative land hunger were stimuli of revolution and struggle both inside and outside the polis. Within the local affairs of the city-state, “the population pressure on limited land led to the…

but was made up of small farming villages. As these villages grew larger some built walls but most built agoras or marketplaces. As they grew larger they became city-states some were very powerful. City-states would clash between each other and form alliances against other city-states or foreign invaders. Greek warfare includes armies, soldiers, weapons, tactics, and strategies. The main soldier of any Greek army was the hoplite. His complete set of arms or suit of armor was a long spear, short…

will examine the battle decisions of the Greeks at marathon. How there armour and weapons were more beneficial during the battle. Marathon was the first battle where the Greeks were able to defeat the Persians. It was a huge turning point in history if Persia would have defeated the Greeks they would have had control over Athens and then most likely the rest Greece. The Greek hoplites had an advantage over the Persians due to their armour and weapons. The hoplites were heavily armoured infantry…

city-states as well, with an infantry formed from hoplites, and in the fifth century and later, a navy. However, in regards to Athenian…

large empire. This would be beneficial information to many in the future, including historians, government officials and Greeks themselves. (Frankforter and Spellman, 112) The values of unification and brotherhood that the Greek army created under the poleis was one of the main driving forces that helped the Greeks acquire their empire. The creation of the hoplite infantry allowed most men the opportunity to participate in the military, regardless of their ranking and status. The patriotism…