Officers fought and died within the ranks. Moreover, warfare became more egalitarian. With the development of the hoplite phalanx, war was no longer merely an act to accrue honor and loot it became a matter of defending one’s land and livelihood. Moreover, as the elites possessed the weapons, they were well-positioned to maintain their status. As the elites were the ones to engage in warfare, the glory and spoils went to them and thereby enhanced their status. Nobles fought one-another in single combat and skirmishes, as depicted in Homer’s Iliad. Previously, warfare had primarily been the domain of the aristocratic elite who could afford the necessary equipment. The use of hoplite tactics dramatically changed warfare in the ancient world. The phalanx advanced in close formation and discipline was everything a man charging forward in bravery and a man retreating in cowardice were both detrimental to a unit. In combat, the front ranks interlocked their shields to form a protective wall, while those behind them thrust with their spears. As a unit, men were arranged in a phalanx formation-a set of closely packed ranks, usually eight men deep. In his right hand he wielded a spear some six to eight feet long. On his left arm he supported a large, round shield that protected the left half of his body and the right half the man immediately to his left. He was armored in a bronze breastplate, helmet, and greaves. The Greek citizen-soldier hoplite was a revolution in ancient warfare.Ī Greek hoplite was a heavily-armed infantryman. Although the film’s historical accuracy is dubious at best, Leonidas is correct in his assessment of the strength of his Spartans. epic film 300, the Spartan King Leonidas constantly reminds viewers of the power of free, citizen soldiers defending their lands and homes against the enslaved hordes of the Persian King Xerxes. The Effects of Culture on Greek Hoplite Warfare The Effects of Culture on Greek Hoplite Warfare
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