Hoplites: The Classical Greek Battle Experience.

Abstract

This study of ancient Greek warfare concentrates on the experiences of the soldiers who did the fighting, not on their generals, nor on logistics, tactics or strategy. The essays comprising Hoplites aim to explore the pragmatic concerns of Greek infantry. Three essays discuss the problems of wearing bronze arms and armour in battle conditions. Why was the spear alone the favoured weapon of attack? How did infantry maintain the great weight of the three-foot Hoplite shield? In Part 2, scholars address the actual mechanics of phalanx advance and retreat, the atmospherics and role of battle music, and the place and activity of the Hoplite general. The book concludes by covering fortification in Greek battle and the peculiar absence of artillery siege-craft.