Oregon Armories

Greek Hoplite worriers

   The word hoplite (Greek: ὁπλίτης hoplitēs; pl. ὁπλίται hoplitai) derives from hoplon (ὅπλον, plural hopla ὅπλα), the hoplon was the rounded shield carried by Greek soldiers, thus ‘hoplite’ may approximate to ‘armoured man’. Hoplites were the citizen-soldiers of the Ancient Greek City-states. They were primarily armed as spear-men and fought in a phalanx formation.

Warfare in ancient Greece appears to have consisted of set-piece battles between independent city-states. The hoplite was an effective solution to this situation. A city-state could not afford a professional and/or standing army, so battles had to be fought by the citizens themselves. The tactics and techniques used in battle therefore had to be simple enough to be quickly mastered. Since the equipment was provided by the individual hoplite, it had to be affordable by an average citizen. The hoplite probably first appeared in the late seventh century BC. In the early Classical Period most battles appear to have primarily involved clashes of opposing phalanxes; tactics were simple and casualties relatively low. Towards the end of the classical period more sophistication seems to have occurred, culminating in the ‘new model’ army of the Ancient Macedonian Kingdom.

Almost all the famous men of ancient Greece, including philosophers and playwrights, fought as hoplites.[1][2] The most well-known hoplites were the Spartans and Romans who were trained from childhood in combat and warfare to become an exceptionally disciplined and superior fighting force.

The Spartans

A notable exception to the general pattern of hoplite warfare was the system used by the Spartans. As a result of a social revolution occurring in the 8th-7th centuries BC, the whole Spartan state became militarised. This was made possible by the conquest of neighbouring lands, and the enserfment of the people. Known as Helots, they farmed the lands owned by the Spartans, thus removing the burden of supporting Sparta from the Spartans themselves. This left the Spartans free to dedicate themselves to the art of war.

From the age of seven onwards, Spartan males were trained for a life of warfare. They were taught iron discipline, and almost programmed to forget about their individuality for the sake of Sparta.[3] The strenuous training and comradeship engendered between Spartans made them ideally suited to hoplite warfare which required high levels of discipline and selflessness. Spartans did not fear death, only the shame of defeat in battle. In Spartan military culture, throwing away a soldier’s aspis was not acceptable. The saying went: “Come home with this shield or upon it”.

It is not quite accurate to describe Spartans as professional soldiers, as the military was not an occupation which they chose, but a requirement by birth. Spartans were not employed as soldiers; instead, they were provided with serfs to support them. This can be compared to feudal Europe; knights were not professional soldiers, but a militaristic caste, supported by the local population. Nevertheless, despite their obvious differences compared to other Greek city-states, the Spartans fought in much the same way as other Greeks, only perhaps more effectively. The Spartans did, unusually, have standard-issue equipment, including a shield called the aspis, featuring the Greek letter lambda (?), in reference to their homeland Lacedaemonia and the bronzed cuirass that was bestowed upon all of the Spartans with their helmet. Every Spartan wore a scarlet robe to represent them as Spartans, though the cape was never worn in combat. The Helots would usually accompany the Spartans in battles and provide ranged support, for the Spartans thought of archery as a job unfit for a true warrior. The Helots also set camps and performed labour for the Spartans whilst on campaign.

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About the Author

Historical Arms and Armour Institute was established a few years ago by a group of dedicated men, who hold to their heart and have great concern towards our rich European culture, especially that of Malta, The Island of the Great Siege of 1565, the island where the era of the Knight was eased out., Amongst others Historical Arms and Armour Institute have Master craftsmen and Master armourers who have been producing functional authentic replicas of Arms and Armour for the past twenty-five years of experience in professional consultancy in all the stages required for manufacturing of Arms and Armour. Historical Arms and Armour Institute have produced pieces of armour, for local museums such as The Palace Armoury, Palazzo Falzone and also for the Malta International Airport, of which a showcase with our armour is on display at the Arrivals section (look it up on your next trip to Malta). Historical Arms and Armour Institute have also been commissioned by Heritage Malta to recreate missing pieces for original armour presently on display at the Palace armoury and in European Union.

0719 Bronze Corinthian helmet

Essex MPA27 15mm Greek Theban Hoplites in Boitian Helmet (8) Infantry Warriors $5.50

Medieval Helmet THE GREEK CORINTHIAN with BLACK PLUME Knight Armor $48.00 This is a brand new medieval helmet. This will make a wonderful piece in your medieval artwork collection. Although this medieval merchandise would make a great piece for your medieval armor collection, this is strictly for decoration only! NOTE: It is your responsibility to understand SCA combat rules and regulations. These rules and regulations vary from tournament to tournament and all standard…

Lorica Segmentata Roman Legionare Medieval Armor LARP $129.95 The Lorica Segmentata is considered by some to be the best armor of the ancient world. Unlike the muscle Cuirass, taken from the Greek Hoplite, the Lorica Segmentata seems to be a completely Roman design. The Lorica offered excellent protection as well as flexibility with its overlapping plate design. The actual date of the creation of the style is still unknown, however we do know that it was pu…

Mini Art Plastics Greek Hoplite – IV Century B.C. $15.12 …

1/6 Scale Ignite The Greece Hoplite Spartan King Leonidas $74.95 Stripped of its helmet, Leonidas’ head is framed by his long hair. The lean skin of the warrior’s face, its color gone, stands out all the more against a short and pointed beard. The dirt of battle is probably still upon Leonidas, and there is a dark purple bruise on his chin from the pooling of what little blood is left. Ragged bits of tissue and bone hang from his severed neck, and flies and bee…

Ignite Toys – Figurine 1/6 Greece Hoplite Spartan with Corinthian Helmet 30 cm Figurine articulée à léchelle 1/6 taille env. 30 cm avec vêtements tissu et accessoires métal die cast. Modèle en édition limitée livré en boîte-vitrine de collection….

Greek Hoplite 480-323 BC (Warrior) $18.95 The Greek hoplite, the archetypal spear-armed warrior, is perhaps the most prevalent figure in our view of the ‘Golden Age’ of Ancient Greek civilisation. It was during this period that the state began to take greater responsibility for military organisation, and the arming and equipping of its citizens. From the victory at Marathon over Darius of Persia (490 BC), through bitter inter-state warfar…

Arms and Armor of the Greeks $19.95 “We shall never know how Marathon was won, but we can be fairly certain that valor alone would not have won it, nor even perhaps the combination of courage with the somewhat rudimentary tactical skill for which the style of Greek warfare at that time gave scope. The superiority of Greek equipment must have been an important factor here and elsewhere, and at times perhaps a decisive one.”–from the…

Ancient Greek Corinthian Helmet $189.95 Ancient Greek Corinthian Military Armor Helmet. This replica of an ancient Greek Corinthian Helmet is made of 18 gauge polished steel. This 18″ wearable Greek Corinthian Helmet is excellent for battle reenactments or as part of halloween costumes. Helmet stand and cotton insert sold separately. Item# IR8060…