The Greeks were not only founders of democracy and revolutionaries in philosophic thought; they were also fearsome warriors. Across the islands and valleys of the Greek world men were trained in a variety of fighting techniques, learning to fight for their town, state and people against incredible odds. Here are eight facts you might not know about them, with all the information taken from the Casemate Short History book Greek Warriors by Carolyn Willekes.
- Some Classical Greek Infantry wore a kind of Kevlar
Classical Greek infantry were called ‘hoplites’. In Ancient Greece Hoplites were required to buy their own equipment, and great variation existed in the type and quality. For example, we hear of a version of breastplate worn by some warriors made from layers of linen, glued together to form an early version of Kevlar.
- The Spartans Kept a Secret Police Force
The Spartans were a group of Greeks who lived off food made by the labour of their neighbours, the helots. The helots had been conquered and enslaved centuries before. In order to keep disciplined amongst these slaves, the Spartans trained to become expert warriors. The agoge training program, for example, molded young Spartans into the ideal warrior. The crypteia was a secret group made up of teenage Spartan boys and its purpose was to watch the slave farmers for any signs of insurrection. If a slave acted suspiciously, the crypteia would kill them without remorse.
- Classical Greeks fought in a Phalanx
When fighting on land, the classical Greek hoplites fought side by side, with shields interlocked. This tightly packed unit was called a phalanx. The primary weapon was the dory, a spear measuring 2-2.5m, with the xiphos, a single-handed double-edged sword, as a secondary weapon. The main problem with phalanx warfare was the tendency for the exposed right flank to veer away from battle.
- The original Marathon was at Marathon
During the early stages of the famous Persian War, a battle between Greeks and Persians, a group of Athenian soldiers held off Darius’ men at a place called Marathon. According to legend, an Athenian called Phidippides ran from Marathon to Athens (c. 40km) bearing the news of the Greek victory. It is this run that serves as the template for our modern marathons.
- Athenians hid behind Long Walls
After the Persian War the two leading Greek states, Athens and Sparta, gradually entered into a conflict with each other – the Peloponnesian War. Sparta were legendary hoplites and Athens was king of the sea. Athens’ general Pericles built massive ‘Long Walls’ encircling Athens and her port, enabling Athens to keep sailing and to prevent Spartan attacks. Despite the threat of plague these walls created, it was a largely successful approach. In the end, however, Sparta’s strength proved too much.
- The Macedonians revolutionized warfare
Philip II and Alexander the Great created an army in Macedonia which would eventually conquer Greece and east all the way to the Indus. This success depended on military innovation. Macedonian infantry included ‘sarrisa bearers’ (sarissaphoroi). Sarissa bearers carried a 4.5-5.5m long lance tipped with a foot-long metal spear head, weighing approximately 6kg. As well as increasing reach, this innovation was accompanied by more training for the soldiers, creating the first professional, state-owned standing army.
- ‘The Most formidable hoplite force in Greece’
Philip’s expansion outside of Macedonia brought him to Greece. From 355 to 346 BC Philip took part in the Third Sacred War, a conflict fought over control of the famous Delphic Oracle. Philip unleashed his futuristic forces on various Greek states, even beating the infamous Theban Sacred Band. This particular battle was Alexander’s debut as a cavalry commander and marked a turning point in the Greek world.
- Alexander the Great was master of sieges
Alexander the Great’s expansion eastwards was halted when he met the island city of Tyre in modern day Lebanon. Undaunted, however, Alexander ordered his men to place stones into the water, creating a 0.8km mole from the shore to the city. This risky move enabled Alexander to bring siege towers to the walls of Tyre, eventually capturing the legendary city. Similarly, Alexander ordered the construction of a mound 76m high around the city walls of Gaza, thereby conquering an invincible city.
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