THE BEECHMONT CREST GUIDE TO ANCIENT GREECE
How did the ancient Greeks fight?
Each independent city-state of ancient Greece needed a defensive strategy. Citizens never knew when a dispute with a neighboring polis would bring an invasion.
Greek methods of warfare evolved over time. In the early days (around the eighth century B.C.), warfare was the pursuit of the noble class. These aristocrats engaged in mostly small-scale battles, usually on horseback. (How can aristocrat be expected to walk into battle?) As the populations and rivalries of the poleis increased, however, more extensive military forces became necessary.
Infantry became the centerpiece of the Greek military. Foot soldiers known as hoplites faced each other in massive rectangular formations called phalanxes. A standard phalanx was eight ranks deep. The men in the foremost row of the phalanx overlapped their shields to form a defensive wall of sorts. The men in the front rows used spears and swords to hack and stab at the opposing phalanx, which was using the same tactics.
Hoplites had to provide their own equipment. Standard accoutrements for a Greek infantryman were: a nine-foot thrusting spear, a short stabbing sword, a shield, a helmet, a breastplate, and shin guards.