HOPLITE SHIELD WALL FULL

Most would have had some form of body-armour, and some may have had greaves on the lower legs, and perhaps a guard for the right arm and hand. Each, though, would have had the basics of helmet, shield, spear, and sword. There was therefore no official uniform or standardised equipment, and the appearance of a hoplite phalanx would have varied from man to man. Items of equipment were almost certainly passed down the family line and replaced only when necessary.

HOPLITE SHIELD WALL FULL

The panoply вЂ“ the full set of arms and armour вЂ“ was expensive. Roughly a third, mainly formed of prosperous peasant-farmers, were deemed rich enough to equip themselves to fight as hoplites вЂ“ heavy infantry вЂ“ in the phalanx. Men were ranked by wealth, and their service obligation reflected their resources. The Athenian Army was a city-state militia in which every able-bodied, adult, male citizen was obliged to serve. Shield: between 80cm and 1m in diameter, and formed of bronze facing, wooden core, and leather lining, plus armband, handgrip, and other internal fittings.Greaves (optional): muscled lower-leg guards of bronze, flexible enough to clip on and off.with face enclosed by cheek-pieces and nose-guard, with dyed horse-hair crest, and head protection from leather lining or woollen cap. Sword: about 60cm in length, double-edged and leaf-shaped.

Long thrusting-spear: between 2 and 3m in length, with leaf-shaped iron blade and pointed iron butt.Linen corselet: layers of linen glued together to a thickness of about 5mm to form a series of strips and plates held together with straps and ties.Shield design: either individually chosen or representing clan, neighbourhood, or tribe.In pitched battle, the army formed a single phalanx of 10,000 men, a kilometre wide, eight ranks deep, protected by a wall of overlapping shields with a hedge of spear-blades projecting above.

Hoplite shield wall