The Arms, Armor, and Iconography of Early Greek Hoplite Warfare (2024)

FAQs

What were the arms and armor of the Greek hoplite? ›

The basic elements of body armor consisted of a shield (hoplon, from which comes the name hoplite for the Greek infantryman), helmet, cuirass or breastplate, and separate arm, thigh, lower leg and foot protectors. As time went on, the arm, leg and foot protectors were discarded in order to permit greater mobility.

The Hoplites of most city-states were a militia, which resulted in the soldiers providing their own armor. Thus there were variations from person to person that depended upon the individuals wealth, personal preferences, and armor that had already been in the family line [Bradford A With Shield, Sword, and Spear pg.

The typical panoply included an eight- to ten-foot thrusting spear with an iron tip and butt, and bronze armor consisting of a helmet, cuirass (chest armor), greaves (shin guards), and a large shield about 30 inches in diameter.

Hoplite is a term used to describe a Greek soldier. They were heavily armored, utilizing bronze helmets and greaves, with a bronze breastplate or a lighter leather cuirass. The best piece of equipment they had for protection was the hoplon, a large, round wooden shield.

The primary weapons of hoplites or heavy infantry were the spear and shield, with a sword being carried as a sidearm. Lighter infantry or skirmishers carried ranged weapons like javelins, slings, or bows; swords again being carried as a sidearm (if carried at all).

The armor consisted of two large shoulder-pieces, called epomides, that were attached at the back and fastened over to the chest. It is hard to tell what parts of the body of the armor was metal or leather. It was most likely leather with bronze plates attached and metal scales down the sides.

Hoplite soldiers used the phalanx formation to be effective in war with fewer soldiers. The formation discouraged the soldiers from acting alone, for this would compromise the formation and minimize its strengths.

They fought primarily in a phalanx, a tightly packed shield and spear formation that might be several ranks deep and many soldiers wide. A highly successful 'war machine', the phalanx was used primarily against other Greeks who obeyed the same honor-bound rules of warfare.

One strength of the hoplite warrior was the incredible physical strength these warriors must have had to wield their arms and weaponry. The average Greek male in this time period weighed approximately 65kg and that some estimates put the weight of the shield alone to 7 kg (Kagan 160-166).

Linothorax armor made out of linen fabric was the most common form of infantry torso armor, being cheap and relatively light. Bronze breastplate armor was also used, in forms such as a bell cuirass.

What is the most ancient armor? ›

Till today, the “Dendra armor” remains the oldest intact full-set of body armor of human history, representing in a unique way the Bronze Age military technological achievements.

Spear. One of the most used weapons by ancient Greek soldiers was a spear. It was often 2 or 3 metres long with a leaf-shaped blade on one end and a short spike on the other. The spear was known as a “dory” or “doru”.

Hoplites were citizen-soldiers of Ancient Greek city-states and their primary armor were spears and shields. Hoplite soldiers would of been wearing about 70lbs of armor. The most important aspect of Hoplite warfare was the phalanx formation.

The principal weapons of a hoplite infantryman were a long ash wood spear (doru) and a short sword (xiphos). The spear measured on average 2.5 metres (8 ft.)

fun fact. Ancient Greek soldiers wore and carried armor, usually made of bronze, that weighed about seventy pounds—a lot to lug around!

The hoplite army consisted of heavy infantrymen. Their armour, also called panoply, was sometimes made of full bronze for those who could afford it, weighing nearly 32 kilograms (70 lb), although linen armor now known as linothorax was more common since it was cost-effective and provided decent protection.

Ancient Greek soldiers wore and carried armor, usually made of bronze, that weighed about seventy pounds—a lot to lug around!

At that time, new and heavier armour now gave the foot soldier stronger protection: he wore a metal helmet, breastplate, and greaves; on his left forearm he carried a shield that replaced one hung around the neck; and he carried a sword and a six-foot (almost two metre)-long thrusting, instead of throwing, spear.