Podcast
Questions and Answers
What was essential for the winning side to maintain during battle to ensure their safety?
What was essential for the winning side to maintain during battle to ensure their safety?
- Individual fighter skills
- A large supply of cavalry
- The phalanx formation (correct)
- Heavy body-armour
Why was a single hoplite considered helpless if isolated?
Why was a single hoplite considered helpless if isolated?
- He had no training for solo fighting.
- He lacked the agility to dodge attacks.
- His equipment was too cumbersome for individual combat. (correct)
- He was unarmed and defenseless.
What was the virtue of sōphrosunē primarily associated with?
What was the virtue of sōphrosunē primarily associated with?
- Unwavering determination to attack
- Calmness and self-restraint in adversity (correct)
- Aggression and offense in combat
- Emotional outbursts in battle
What would happen if individual soldiers broke ranks during battle?
What would happen if individual soldiers broke ranks during battle?
What do the ideals of endurance and discipline in hoplite warfare contribute to in a broader cultural sense?
What do the ideals of endurance and discipline in hoplite warfare contribute to in a broader cultural sense?
During which period did hoplite battles primarily take place?
During which period did hoplite battles primarily take place?
How did the Persian infantry differ from Greek hoplites during the Persian Wars?
How did the Persian infantry differ from Greek hoplites during the Persian Wars?
What was the consequence of an individual soldier fleeing or pursuing a retreating enemy?
What was the consequence of an individual soldier fleeing or pursuing a retreating enemy?
What phenomenon does Thucydides describe that occurs during the approach to battle of a phalanx?
What phenomenon does Thucydides describe that occurs during the approach to battle of a phalanx?
Why do soldiers in a phalanx tend to drift rightward according to Thucydides?
Why do soldiers in a phalanx tend to drift rightward according to Thucydides?
What initial advantage is gained when two phalanxes collide?
What initial advantage is gained when two phalanxes collide?
What specific maneuver did Sparta's army employ to exploit the rightward drift during battle?
What specific maneuver did Sparta's army employ to exploit the rightward drift during battle?
What term describes how Sparta's phalanx was structured to enhance maneuverability?
What term describes how Sparta's phalanx was structured to enhance maneuverability?
How did the first soldier in the front row influence the rest of the phalanx's alignment?
How did the first soldier in the front row influence the rest of the phalanx's alignment?
What is a primary reason for the overlap of phalanxes on the right side?
What is a primary reason for the overlap of phalanxes on the right side?
What did Thucydides believe was the effect of fear on soldiers entering battle?
What did Thucydides believe was the effect of fear on soldiers entering battle?
What was more significant than wealth in justifying the power of the aristocrats?
What was more significant than wealth in justifying the power of the aristocrats?
Which mythical hero was claimed as an ancestor by the Dorian aristocrats?
Which mythical hero was claimed as an ancestor by the Dorian aristocrats?
Which ruling clan is associated with the city of Mytilene on Lesbos?
Which ruling clan is associated with the city of Mytilene on Lesbos?
What practice did the Greek nobility engage in to maintain control over their lineage?
What practice did the Greek nobility engage in to maintain control over their lineage?
What was the purpose of the fictional connection to Heracles by Dorian cities?
What was the purpose of the fictional connection to Heracles by Dorian cities?
Which statement describes the concept of 'noble blood' as it relates to aristocratic power?
Which statement describes the concept of 'noble blood' as it relates to aristocratic power?
What common belief did the Dorian aristocrats want to counteract with their Heracles-connection?
What common belief did the Dorian aristocrats want to counteract with their Heracles-connection?
What does the term 'Penthilidai' refer to?
What does the term 'Penthilidai' refer to?
What classes of men primarily constituted the hoplite contingent of a city's army?
What classes of men primarily constituted the hoplite contingent of a city's army?
How did hoplite warfare change the composition of battlefield forces compared to earlier times?
How did hoplite warfare change the composition of battlefield forces compared to earlier times?
What percentage of a city's population did the aristocratic families represent?
What percentage of a city's population did the aristocratic families represent?
What is the estimated size range of a city-state's hoplite contingent?
What is the estimated size range of a city-state's hoplite contingent?
In the context of city-state populations, how many citizen families might yield a hoplite contingent of around 6,000 men?
In the context of city-state populations, how many citizen families might yield a hoplite contingent of around 6,000 men?
What was the estimated total population of a major Greek city like Corinth during the hoplite era?
What was the estimated total population of a major Greek city like Corinth during the hoplite era?
What was the reported number of Spartan hoplites at the Battle of Plataea?
What was the reported number of Spartan hoplites at the Battle of Plataea?
What does the term 'hoplite' refer to in the context of ancient Greek warfare?
What does the term 'hoplite' refer to in the context of ancient Greek warfare?
What was a significant political result of the military changes in the Greek city-states during the 2nd half of the 600s B.C.?
What was a significant political result of the military changes in the Greek city-states during the 2nd half of the 600s B.C.?
Which kingdom was known for employing Greek mercenaries during the Assyrian invasions?
Which kingdom was known for employing Greek mercenaries during the Assyrian invasions?
What was a notable tactic the Greeks observed from the Assyrians?
What was a notable tactic the Greeks observed from the Assyrians?
What characterized the older Greek military tactics before the changes inspired by the Assyrians?
What characterized the older Greek military tactics before the changes inspired by the Assyrians?
To what change did the Greek city-states have to adapt in order to adopt the hoplite tactics?
To what change did the Greek city-states have to adapt in order to adopt the hoplite tactics?
What was the military dominance of the Assyrian kingdom based on?
What was the military dominance of the Assyrian kingdom based on?
How did the Greek city-states' interpretation of heavy infantry differ from that of the Assyrians?
How did the Greek city-states' interpretation of heavy infantry differ from that of the Assyrians?
What period is noted for the transition to hoplite tactics in Greek warfare?
What period is noted for the transition to hoplite tactics in Greek warfare?
Study Notes
Hoplite Warfare
- Hoplite warfare dominated ancient Greek battlefields from the 7th to the mid-4th century BCE.
- The phalanx, a dense formation of heavily armored infantry, was the cornerstone of hoplite warfare.
- Hoplites relied on disciplined coordination and teamwork for their effectiveness.
- Individual hoplites were vulnerable when isolated, their heavy armor and large shields limiting their maneuverability.
- The virtue of sophrosyne, encompassing self-restraint, endurance, and calmness in adversity, was central to hoplite ideals.
- The phalanx's rightward drift, a phenomenon described by Thucydides, resulted from soldiers seeking protection behind their comrades' shields.
- This rightward drift gave the right wing of each phalanx an initial advantage.
- Sparta, renowned for its military prowess, exploited the rightward drift by training its soldiers to execute a "rolling up" maneuver to overwhelm the enemy.
The Rise of the Hoplite
- The concept of using concentrated heavy infantry in dense formations was likely inspired by Assyrian military tactics observed by Greek mercenaries in the 8th century BCE.
- The adoption of hoplite warfare necessitated the recruitment and training of the middle class, allowing city-states to field larger heavy infantry contingents.
- This social change shifted the balance of power in Greek city-states, as middle-class citizens gained prominence in military and political affairs.
Hoplite Society and Aristocracy
- Wealth and “noble blood” were central to the aristocratic elite’s dominance.
- Aristocratic families claimed descent from mythical heroes, solidifying their power and social standing.
- Endogamy, or marriage within the clan, was a key strategy used by aristocrats to preserve their social exclusivity and maintain their bloodline's purity.
The Hoplite Army
- The size of a typical hoplite army ranged from 3,000 to 6,000 men.
- The hoplite contingent of a city-state's military represented a significant portion of its fighting-age male population, typically around 60%.
- The largest hoplite armies documented include 10,000 Spartan hoplites at the Battle of Plataea (479 BCE) and 16,000 Athenian hoplites during the Peloponnesian War (431 BCE).
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Description
Explore the fascinating world of hoplite warfare, which dominated ancient Greek battlefields from the 7th to the mid-4th century BCE. Learn about the significance of the phalanx formation, the role of individual hoplites, and the strategic advantages gained from disciplined coordination and teamwork. Delve into the principles that underpinned the success of Greek city-states in warfare.
