Ancient Greek Soldiers and Warfare

1. Ancient Greek city states spent a lot of their time fighting each other, all the men in the city had to fight in the army.

2. Fighting for one’s city was considered to be every Ancient Greek’s patriotic duty.

3. Some of the fiercest and most effective soldiers were the Spartans.

4. The Spartans sent their boys away at the age of seven to be trained.

5. Any Spartan thought to be a coward in battle would have half their hair and beard shaved.

6. Ancient Greeks' role in the armed forces was directly related to their social position as they had to buy their own weapons and armour.

7. Rich Greeks made up the cavalry, as they were the only ones who could afford horses.

8. Members of the Ancient Greek middle classes became hoplites, heavily armed foot soldiers, who could afford good armour and weapons.

9. Hoplites wore helmets, breastplates and leg guards and their weapons included a long spear and a short sword.

10. Ancient Greek soldiers had two types of helmets.

11. One type of Ancient Greek helmet covered the whole head apart from the cheeks and eyes.

12. Another type of Ancient Greek helmet had flaps that covered the soldiers’ cheeks and the back of their necks.

13. The helmets were decorated according to rank.

14. Ancient Greek soldiers carried shields made of bronze and leather, large enough to protect their bodies from the neck to the thigh.

15. In battle hoplites fought in a block that marched together called a phalanx.

16. A phalanx was usually eight ranks deep and required very good discipline.

17. When a soldier at the front died or was injured, the one behind took his place.

18. The Ancient Greek soldiers were piped into battle in order to stay in step.

19. Light infantry soldiers were made up from the Ancient Greek lower social classes.

20. Poor Greeks became scouts, archers and stone throwers due to insufficient armour.

21. When laying siege to cities, Ancient Greeks used catapults, flame-throwers, battering-rams and cauldrons containing sulphur and hot coals.

22. The Battle of Marathon, a famous battle, took place between the Greeks and the Persians in 490 BC.

23. Despite being heavily outnumbered by the Persians, the Greeks beat them convincingly.