![]() In addition to his shield, a hoplite wore a breastplate, greaves and helmet. Warriors painted and decorated their own shields, often choosing animals or mythical creatures as their design. A skirt of leather was sometimes attached to the lower edge of the shield this helped protect the legs from arrows. Shields were always carried on the left arm, and when resting against the shoulder they protected the soldier (and the man to his left) from chin to knees. Placed at the edge of the shield rather than in the center, this grip allowed the soldier to brace the shield’s weight against his entire forearm and to use the shield as a bashing weapon, not simply for protection. Bronze plates reinforced the outside, and leather cushioned the inside.Īlthough the hoplon was quite heavy, weighing up to 30 pounds, its innovative grip facilitated maximum use and mobility. This shield was shaped like a large, shallow, wooden bowl - round, convex and 3-3.5 feet in diameter. The most important piece of armor carried by a hoplite was his shield, or hoplon. Warfare between city-states became somewhat standardized, with short, decisive conflicts that allowed the survivors time to return to their normal lives as farms and tradesmen. Because most hoplites were land owners and farmers with other obligations, military campaigns between Greek city-states were generally limited to the late summer months after harvest. Those over 50 generally stayed behind to guard the city. Between the ages of 20 and 60 he was available to be called up for duty. In Athens, a young man’s military career began at age 18 with two years of training. A hoplite’s equipment was not provided for him by the city-state he was expected to commission and finance his own. They were middle-and upper-class men able to afford the armor and weaponry necessary for battle. Unlike the warriors composing Sparta’s standing, professional army, Athenian hoplites were true soldier-citizens. During the rise of Greek city-states starting in the eighth century BC, battle tactics changed and the hoplite, rather than the champion, became the primary unit of ancient Greek armies. Conflicts during this era began with duels between champions followed by a general melee, with each warrior fighting as an individual for his own personal glory rather than as part of a disciplined battalion. Greek warfare during the Heroic Age (1600-1100 BC) was often chaotic and undisciplined. These shields, and the methods in which they were used, were instrumental in the function and formation of the phalanx, the primary unit of Greek armies during the Classical period. The term hoplite originates from the Greek word "hoplon," or shield. These shields traditionally belong to Archaic times, but it is not impossible that they survived later.Hoplites were heavily armored soldier-citizens whose development paralleled that of the ancient Greek city-states they served. These are so-called Boeotian type shields, more oval in shape and having two notches on the side. Some classic hoplite shields differ from this model. The shield, along with the spear, is the Greek equipment par excellence, so the loss of the shield is considered a terrible act of cowardice, condemnable in most Greek cities. Its effectiveness and resistance in the heart of melee is far superior to that of wicker shields, traditionally used by the Persians and Egyptians. Heavy about 6 kg, it is especially useful in group combat, where each soldier relies on those of his comrades to protect himself. This large shield (Diameter: approximately 97 cm) is particular to the Greeks and is one of the tools necessary for the phalanx. The shield is made of wood allows the hoplite to rest it on his left shoulder to relieve his arm, awaiting shock with the enemy. The shield is both an offensive and defensive weapon: it is used to ward off blows but also to push to break down enemy lines. In the back, it has leather and rope restraints. The shield is made of hand painted plywood. ![]() It is round and concave in shape and has a cuff (porpax) on its internal face, which allows it to be worn. Hand painted replica of the shield of ancient Greece, Spartan Hoplite, used by the hoplites of the city-states of ancient Greece.
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