Who Were The Hoplites And What Was Their Armor Composed Of?
Conny Watets - AncientPages.com - A new type of foot soldier emerged around 800 BC in Greece when the country was still recovering after the fall of Mycenaean civilization around 1200 BC.
These new soldiers, usually farmers, who owned small (about ten acres) pieces of land, were included in the Greek police forces.
Hoplite warriors. Credit: Adobe Stock - AlienCat - Image right: Adobe Stock - Massimo Todaro
These farmers were important citizens of the country because - as one strong group - they decided the laws that ruled the communities and joined together to fight in the tines of war.
They were called hoplites, and each member was known as a hoplite warrior. His name originated from the round shield or “hoplon” the soldier carried. The hoplon was three feet (approximately one meter) in diameter.
According to the rules, each farmer-warrior had to buy his own armor, which included a helmet, a breastplate (or corselet) 1.3 cm thick, and usually made of bronze. His armor included greaves made of leather or bronze and a round shield.
Additionally, the hoplites carried a long bronze-headed spear designed for thrusting. In case the hoplite’s spear was broken, the warrior relied on his short sword.
Some hoplites also carried a javelin, a light-throwing spear.
What was the weight of the hoplite’s armor?
In total, such armor was very heavy, weighing up to 34 kg, which certainly made it very difficult for the hoplite to maneuver during the fight.
However, the hoplites were very well-organized and had the ability to fight in close formations.
Usually, the hoplite warriors formed two columns against opponents, and the column that broke first – lost the fight.
For larger clashes that required more fighters, there was formed the so-called phalanx, consisting of several columns of eight to 36 soldiers.
With raised shields and bristling spears, the phalanx formed a very tight unit that could easily frighten the individual soldiers on the other site. The phalanx pushed forward, stabbing with a spear or sometimes a sword, until it finally broke the enemy line. The bronze armor of the hoplite (although very heavy) could successfully withstand most of the blows coming from the enemy side.
Most hoplite casualties were caused by trampling by companions, when a soldier, unfortunately, lost his footing during the fight, or sometimes when some hoplite warriors mistook their companions for the enemy.
Hoplite warriors were an important part of Greek warfare into the fourth century BC until Philip II of Macedonia (382-336 BC), father of Alexander III the Great, introduced a new warfare style composed of a corps of archers, mounted cavalry, javelin throwers and slingers (who were later common all over the world).
Written by Conny Waters - AncientPages.com Staff Writer
Copyright © AncientPages.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or part without the express written permission of AncientPages.com
More From Ancient Pages
-
Remarkable Discovery: 2,000-Year-Old Mummy Shroud Found In Museum Collection
Archaeology | Mar 10, 2017
-
Rare Ancient Boomerang Collection Sheds New Light On Australia’s Past
Archaeology | Nov 4, 2021
-
Rare Fossil Of A Dog-Sized Horned Dinosaur From ‘Lost Continent’ Identified By British Scientist
Archaeology | Dec 5, 2015
-
In Ancient Mesopotamia, Sex Among The Gods Shook Heaven And Earth
Featured Stories | Oct 8, 2022
-
Evidence Of A Hybrid Population Of Neanderthals And Modern Humans Discovered At La Cotte De St Brelade
Archaeology | Feb 9, 2021
-
Mysterious Stone Spheres Could Be From Ancient Greek Board Game – Scientists Say
Archaeology | Sep 30, 2022
-
Pharaoh Hatshepsut: Skillful And Efficient Female Ruler Who Brought Prosperity To Ancient Egypt
Featured Stories | Mar 22, 2017
-
On This Day In History: Ceres Discovered By Giuseppe Piazzi – On Jan 1, 1801
News | Jan 1, 2017
-
Ancient Warfare And Continuous Rise In Global Population – Is There A Connection?
Archaeology | Sep 13, 2021
-
On This Day In History: Battle Of The Rhyndacus – Oct 15, 1211
News | Oct 15, 2015
-
One Of Europe’s Most Ancient Domestic Dogs Lived In The Basque Country 17,000 Years Ago
Archaeology | Nov 29, 2022
-
6,000-Year-Old Submerged Settlement Shows Black Sea Level Was Lower 5,000 Years Ago – ‘Black Sea Deluge’ Theory?
News | Nov 30, 2020
-
First AI-Based Method For Dating Archaeological Remains Developed By Researchers
Archaeology | Aug 23, 2022
-
Man Finds A Viking Sword In His Garden – A Viking Grave Could Also Be Nearby – Scientists Say
Archaeology | Sep 2, 2022
-
Vikings Filed Their Teeth For Unknown Reasons
Featured Stories | Mar 2, 2016
-
Mystery Of The Second Gabriel Stone And The Man Resurrected By Archangel Gabriel
Biblical Mysteries | Sep 10, 2018
-
Lugh – Mighty God Of Light, Sun And Crafts In Celtic Beliefs
Celtic Mythology | Apr 30, 2018
-
15,000-Year-Old Petroglyphs Discovered In The Gobi Desert May Be Evidence Ancient Turks Visited Mongolia – Expert Says
Archaeology | Apr 5, 2022
-
Fragment Of A Royal Memorial Inscription Attributed To Sargon II – Unearthed
Archaeology | May 5, 2021
-
Svarog: God Of Cosmic Fire And Ruler Of The Sky In Pre-Christian Slavic Pantheon
Featured Stories | Aug 15, 2017