Hoplite

Мыслевцев А.С.

Hoplite (Ancient Greek: ὁπλίτης — - an ancient Greek heavy-armed foot soldier, whose main weapon was a long spear. The word derives from hopla, meaning arms or equipment (Ancient Greek: ὅπλον). It should be noted that Hoplites have varied greatly in their equipment over the course of several centuries. Also, the equipment was different depending on the nationality. Hoplites were used in their phalanxes by the Greeks, Macedonians, Carthaginians, Etruscans, Romans, etc. It is assumed that they first appeared in the Argos army. Hoplites served in the armies of the Greek city-states and were essentially citizen soldiers, since it was the duty of a citizen of any free polis to perform military service. Therefore, any meeting of citizens was a meeting of soldiers-serving at a given time or veterans who had served. Hoplites are heavily armed Greek infantrymen. After the reforms of Solon in Athens, representatives of the most numerous class of Zeugites had to go to war, being equipped as a Hoplite. It is likely that in Ancient Greek poleis, middle-class citizens became Hoplites during the war, since the soldier had to provide himself with weapons and equipment at his own expense. Hoplites formed the core of the Classical phalanx. Under Philip II, a different formation based on infantry carrying long sarissas became central to the Macedonian army; traditional hoplites nevertheless continued to serve.

Greek Hoplites. Black-figure painting on a vase. 7th century BC

Image of the phalanx on the Proto-Corinthian olpa. Museum of Etruscan Civilization,Rome. Around 630 BC.

Achilles and Troilus. Black-figure Attic vase of the Tyrrhenian group, 575-550 BC; Archaeological Museum, Florence.

Equipment

Hoplite Equipment: - Helmet - Liner - Linothorax,Bronze Cuirass - Chlamys - Spear - Kopis,Xiphos - Hoplon - Chiton - Belt - Footwear

Macedonian Hoplite,reconstruction

Reconstruction

A hoplite reconstruction begins with a specific period, region and body of evidence. Greek, Macedonian and Italian equipment should not be combined into one universal figure.

Helmet, armour, shield and sword forms are especially important because they changed over the centuries. The list above presents possible elements, not a compulsory outfit for every soldier. Modern adaptations for safety and performance should be distinguished from equipment supported by ancient finds and images.

Literature and sources

John Warry. Wars of antiquity. From the Greco-Persian Wars to the Fall of Rome / Translated from English by T. Barakina, A. Nikitina, E. Nikitina, S. Samchenko, T. Senkina, A. Cech. - Moscow: Eksmo,2009. - 2nd ed. - 232 p.: ill. - Series "Military history of mankind". — ISBN 978-5-699-30727-2. Greek Hoplite // Military-historical almanac "Soldat" / Ed. by V. I. Kiselev. - Artemovsk: Military-historical club "Veteran"; Type. "Book",2002. - 36 p.: 6 l. incl. Cambridge History of the Ancient World, vol. III, part 3: The Expansion of the Greek World. VIII-VI centuries BC-Moscow: Ladomir Publ.,2007. (About hoplites: pp. 405-407,532-533,553-557, etc.). - ISBN 978-5-86218-467-9. Connolly Peter. Greece and Rome. Encyclopedia of military history / Translated from English by S. Lopukhova, A. S. Khromova. - Moscow: Eksmo-Press,2000. - 320 p.: ill. — ISBN 5-04-005183-2. Herbert William Park. Greek mercenaries. Dogs of War of ancient Greece / Translated from English by L. A. Igorevsky. - Moscow: ZAO "Tsentrpoligraf",2013. - 288 p. - ISBN 978-5-9524-5093-6. Lavrenov S. Ya. Armies of Ancient Greece. - Moscow: OOO "AST"; Astrel,2001. - 48 p.: ill. - "Military-historical series "Soldat"". — ISBN 5-17-004689-8. Nefedkin A. K. Main stages of hoplite phalanx formation: military aspect of the problem // Bulletin of Ancient History. — 2002. — № 1. Pechatnova L. G. Istoriya Sparta (period of Archaics and classics). - St. Petersburg: Humanitarian Academy,2001. - 510 p. - ISBN 5-93762-008-9. Nick Sekunda. Army of Sparta / Translated from English by A.V. Krasulina. - Moscow: OOO "AST"; Astrel,2004. - 72 p.: ill. - Series "Elite troops". — ISBN 5-17-023262-4.