GREEK HOPLITE SHIELD PROJECT MANUAL

The animation shows a fight in which the central warrior stabs his opponents. There are onlookers to the fight perhaps they are trainers or family members at a training bout, however sometimes onlookers are added to vase scenes where you would not expect onlookers, in that case they are acting as a kind of witness to the achievements of the active parties. Deaths in training would probably have led to a court case, but killing opponents in battle was regarded as something to celebrate, as Xenophon shows in his account of a victory at Corinth ( Hellenica, 4.4.12). The story in Combat was developed by pupils from Maiden Erlegh School in Reading for the Ure Discovery project.

GREEK HOPLITE SHIELD PROJECT MANUAL

The onlookers are wearing longer, less sporty robes – a sign that they don’t need to keep their limbs free for combat or manual labour. In time, heavy breastplates gave way to lighter reinforced fabric corselets which were easier to move in.įor battle, each army of hoplites would be arrayed in a phalanx, a wide line of soldiers that was several men deep. The foremost hoplites would use their spears to reach out at opponents. After a furious fight, one side would usually give way, leading to a looser phase of the battle, in which the losing side was pursued some way. The hoplites on this vase have swords hung close to their torsos these would be useful when the orderly lines of battle broke up into a more chaotic melee.

Soldiers frequently appear on ancient vases, reflecting their importance in Greek society. Heavy infantry soldiers, or hoplites, were held in particularly high regard. Most hoplites were amateur soldiers, not professionals, and they were responsible for keeping themselves fit and combat ready. The hoplites on this vase are fighting with spears, the primary weapon of the ancient Greek hoplite. The spear was combined with a large heavy shield and a helmet. Other equipment, such as greaves and body-armour depended on a hoplite’s wealth and personal preference. The left-hand hoplite on this vase wears a breastplate, while the others are fighting in knee-length tunics without armour. We have an alternative Greek hoplite shield, possibly for younger children, which uses a paper plate.

Greek hoplite shield project