What did Greek hoplites wear?

What did Greek hoplites wear?

A Greek foot soldier was called a hoplite. He wore a linen shirt with metal armour plates on the shoulders. A bronze breastplate covered his chest and stomach, and greaves (shin guards) covered his legs. He wore a bronze helmet with a tall crest on his head.

What equipment did the hoplites use?

Weapons & Armour The principal weapons of a hoplite infantryman were a long ash wood spear (doru) and a short sword (xiphos). The spear measured on average 2.5 metres (8 ft.) in length and was fitted with a bronze or iron blade and a four-sided end spike (sauroter).

What did each Greek hoplite carry?

The Greek soldier that was a foot soldier was called a hoplite. These warriors would carry long shields and spears.

What is an argive grip?

Known as an Argive grip, it placed the handle at the edge of the shield and was supported by a leather fastening for the forearm at the center. This allowed hoplites more mobility with the shield, as well as the ability to capitalize on their offensive capabilities and better support the phalanx.

What is Greek armor made of?

Ancient Greek soldiers wore and carried armor, usually made of bronze, that weighed about seventy pounds—a lot to lug around!

Did hoplites use swords?

Sword. As a secondary weapon, hoplites are known to have carried a short sword known as the xiphos which was made from iron or bronze depending on the era. This was used in the event of a broken spear, or if close melee combat was necessary.

What is a Greek hoplite?

Hoplite infantrymen were the military ideal of ancient Greece and were recruited from the wealthy middling ranks of society, particularly the farmers. They wore bronze armor breastplates, helmets, shin guards, shoulder pads, and sometimes foot protectors, thigh guards and forearm guards.

How did hoplites hold their spears?

It was held with the right hand, with the left hand holding the hoplite’s shield. Soldiers usually held their spears in an underhand position when approaching but once they came into close contact with their opponents, they were held in an overhand position ready to strike.

What is a Spartan shield?

The Aspi (also known as a Hoplon) is a large round shield used in Ancient Greece. It was the Weapon of the Spartans.

What kind of helmets did hoplites wear?

The Corinthian helmet was, at the beginning, the most popular style of helmet used by Hoplites. The helmet protected the parts of the head that were left exposed by the hoplon, with cheek plates that covered most of the face leaving only a small gap below the nose to breathe and speak.

What is the difference between hoplite and Phalanx?

For other uses, see Hoplite (disambiguation). Hoplites ( HOP-lytes) ( Ancient Greek: ὁπλίτης) were citizen-soldiers of Ancient Greek city-states who were primarily armed with spears and shields. Hoplite soldiers utilized the phalanx formation to be effective in war with fewer soldiers.

What is the difference between a hoplite and a soldier?

Hoplite. Hoplites were not professional soldiers and often lacked sufficient military training. Although some states did maintain a small elite professional unit, hoplite soldiers were relied on heavily and made up the bulk of ancient Greek armies of the time.

What was the role of hoplites in ancient Greece?

Most hoplites were not professional soldiers and often lacked sufficient military training. Some states maintained a small elite professional unit, known as the epilektoi (“chosen”) since they were picked from the regular citizen infantry. These existed at times in Athens, Argos, Thebes, and Syracuse, among others.