The Days Of The Phalanx – Ancient Greece Weapons

Ancient Greece may be remembered by the number of wars waged and won against invaders or the conflict between the Athenians and the Spartans in the ancient times. The Persian Wars for instance ran from the middle of the sixth century until they were driven away by the Athenians around 500 BC. Additionally, within Greece, city-states were also in conflict with each other. Most famous was the clashes between Athens and its neighbor Sparta, also called the Peloponnesian War that ran for decades (431 – 404 BC). The Spartans had a solid and superb infantry compared to the phalanx of Athens but the latter had a superior naval fleet (consisting of 200 ships) that maintained their strength throughout the Peloponnesian war.

Greece ordered their men to render service in the military to defend the country and the latter were the ones who paid for their weapons and armor. They did not particularly have full-time soldiers. Soldiers were picked out from the upper class of towns because they were the ones who could afford the arms and panoply. The Greek and Trojan military officials rode on chariots while the ordinary soldiers ran on foot. Ancient Greece weapons included a metal shield (called hoplon) that covered most of their bodies, greaves, a helmet to protect their heads, and a tunic of stiffened linen. Other helmet types besides the ancient Greece weapons had bronze flaps that cover the cheeks and back of the neck. Ancient Greece weapons were especially made of bronze because of its superb strength and lightness.

Aside from these, ancient Greece weapons came with a breastplate made out of bronze to protect the body. Greek soldiers also wore leg guards (greaves) that were made of bronze, meant to protect the legs from the knee down. It was springy and shaped to fit the legs. Ancient Greece weapons were told to be similar to those used in the Trojan War such as the sword blade, which had a short blade and spike that could be fitted into a handle or hand-grip.

The ancient Greeks also used the spear with a metal blade on the tip inserted in a wooden shaft. The ancient Greece weapons weighed a total of 15 kilograms, hence, they were also called "men clad in iron". The spears would sometimes break in the collision with the enemy. If this happens, a Greek soldier would draw out his sword and go hand-to-hand combat. This was especially the role of the sword. The helmet, meanwhile, allowed for little ventilation. In addition to the Greek phalanx, catapults were also pushed around in battles to strike the enemy from a distance prior to the advancing soldiers.

The phalanx was not great in number but what made their formation special was that they fought with friends and male family members. Deflecting from the ranks would mean turning their backs from their friends and families.