Ancient History
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The Development of the Greek World, 800-500 BC
Hoplite warfare
Jeffrey Lumb
Blacktown Girls High School
Outcomes
| H1.1 | describe and assess the significance of key people, groups, events, institutions, societies and sites within the historical context |
| H2.1 | explain historical factors and assess their significance in contributing to change and continuity in the ancient world |
| H4.1 | use historical terms and concepts appropriately |
| H3.3 | analyse and evaluate sources for their usefulness and reliability |
Principal Focus: Through an investigation of the archaeological and written sources for the development of the Greek world 800 – 500 BC, students learn about significant developments, forces and relevant historiographical issues that shaped the historical period.
Students learn about:
Colonisation and tyranny:
- technological innovation: hoplite warfare
- technological innovation: armour
Content
Background
The nobles alone could afford the expensive armour and horses needed for warfare and so society depended on them for defence and protection, and the population lacked the military capacity to seize power, even if they had wanted to. This situation changed with an increase of population and the resulting colonisation and trade, the introduction of a money economy, and the emergence of a new type of warfare, the hoplite phalanx. With colonisation went trade, a general increase in prosperity, and a market for goods from other cities and countries. Production became more specialised and increasingly more sensitive to the demands of the market. Inevitably this social and economic disruption caused the breakdown of the static agrarian society. Pottery and other wares were produced in greater quantity; the landless thetes could find occupations at sea. It was now possible to acquire wealth in forms other than land, thereby undermining the old aristocratic basis for power.Trade also contributed to the decline of the aristocrats because it increased the availability of metal. Increased supply decreased cost, so more people could afford armour. Any citizen who could furnish his own armour could become a knight, regardless of birth, and with this new status came more political power. This brought on the era of the hoplite. The introduction of the money economy in the seventh century also weakened the old aristocracy. Before money there was little a non-aristocratic landowner could do if he produced a surplus. Without more land he couldn't maintain more animals and he couldn't keep his crops. With a money economy he could sell off his surplus each year and gradually accumulate capital. Theognis of Megara, a sixth-century poet, said that "money mixes the classes". |
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The hoplite phalanx was introduced into Greece about 700 B.C. revolutionising warfare and further destroying aristocratic power. In contrast to the disorganised individual fighting of the Dark Ages, the hoplite phalanx was a well-organised weapon of destruction. The soldiers stood with locked shields and lumbered, like a tank bristling with spears, across the field of battle. The panoply of the hoplite consisted of a helmet, corselet, greaves, round hoplon or shield, short sword and thrusting spear. This can be seen in the illustration below. This is clearly indicated in the decoration of the Chigi Vase, also shown below. The old-style army had no hope against its advance. Every Greek state was forced to adopt this new type of warfare. Since the phalanx had to move with precision, it required constant drilling and training and the participation of many citizens. Since a horse was no longer needed and metal armour was now cheaper, more citizens could become soldiers. Aristotle says that the earliest Greek constitutions were narrow because they based their military power on the cavalry and only the wealthy could afford horses. With the hoplite, however, the military power base was widened and hoplites demanded and obtained a greater share in ruling the state. |
A hoplite prepared for battle
Hoplite illustration used with the
permission of Martijn Moerbeek 
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Long thrusting spear (about 3 metres in length) | |
| Helmet in the Corinthian style, while protecting the head, made hearing and vision difficult | ||
| Protective corselet covering the upper body worn over a cloth tunic | ||
| A short stabbing sword was worn on the right side attached to a belt around the waist | ||
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Greaves protected the lower legs of the hoplite |
Hoplon (shield) bearing the Greek letter "L" | |
The Chigi Vase (c. 640-630 B.C.)
| Not all scholars are convinced of the hoplite theory. Scholars such as Raphael Sealey claim that, as hoplites were themselves a conservative group, their support for revolutionary political change is unlikely. Sealey sees the role of the hoplite for tyrants more as a tool for maintaining control rather than for seizing it. |
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R.J. Littman suggests, "when aristocratic power was disintegrating, disruption and class struggle boiled within Greek cities. Amid these upheavals tyrants emerged in many places." The tyrants were autocrats but not despots. They often passed on their power to their sons, but it seldom survived for more than two or three generations. The unstable conditions that created tyranny soon passed. The tyrants often contributed to their own downfall, since by their policies they broke the power of the aristocrats and encouraged the rise of the hoplites and the new commercial class at the expense of the aristocracy. As these new groups became stronger, they would no longer tolerate rule by tyrants. |
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This can be seen in the case of Cypselus, tyrant of Corinth. Corinth had been ruled by the aristocratic clan of the
Bacchiads. Under their influence, in the late 8th century,
Corinth greatly expanded her western trade. The Bacchiads founded
two important western colonies of Corcyra and Syracuse. They also
stimulated trade and increased the prosperity of Corinth. This
helped the creation of a moneyed class and the disintegration of
the old balanced agricultural society. Dissatisfaction grew as
the Bacchiads became less successful in their foreign and
economic policies at the end of the 8th century. Their rule
became more restrictive and they were overthrown by Cypselus. The
hoplites were probably the main supporters of Cypselus, with
assistance from the new rich. He apparently held the post of
polemarch or war-leader before becoming tyrant. The fact that
once he was in power he never needed a bodyguard suggests the
army was on his side. Source: Littman, Robert, J., The Greek Experiment. Imperialism and Social Conflict 800-400 B.C. Thames and Hudson, London, 1974. |
Revision
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Carefully study the photograph of detail from the Chigi Vase. Why might this be an important source for the hoplite style of warfare for this time period?
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Looking further
All of these books are easily obtainable:
| Bradley, P. | Ancient Greece: using evidence, pp 42-44 |
| Bury, J. B. & Meiggs, R. | A History of Greece, pp 94-95 |
| Ehrenberg, V. | From Solon to Socrates, p. 55 |
| Hennessy, D. (ed.) | Studies in Ancient Greece, pp 52-54 |
| Koutsoukis, A. J. | History of the Ancient World - Ancient Greece, p. 40 |
| Roebuck, C. | The World of Ancient Times, p. 193 |
The following Internet sites are excellent sources for a number for aspects relating to this historical period:
Classics Resources
http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/classics.html
An excellent site that has links to everything in the ancient
world
The Perseus project
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/
Another excellent source for ancient Greece
Ancient History Source Book for Greece http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/asbook07.html
Good overview of the period: http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/GREECE/ATHENS.HTM
The Greeks: Crucible of Civilisation (also has Flash 4
version)
http://www.pbs.org/empires/thegreeks/
An excellent animated site with sound based around the
acclaimed T.V. series
The Herodotus web site: http://www.herodotuswebsite.co.uk/
Hoplite illustration used with the permission of
Martijn Moerbeek http://monolith.dnsalias.org/~marsares/warfare/army/a_hoplit.html
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