The Greek city-states were intensely competitive in sports as well as warfare. Inner-city wars were almost continuous, and this wasteful behavior weakened the whole country. This spirit was described in Homer’s Iliad when Achilles’ father Peleus urged him always to try to excel all other men. This competitiveness was to be desired in sports, artisitic and vocational endeavors but was chaos with the continuous warfare among the states.
This state of affairs resulted in each city state building up its military strength, and the result was what has been termed the “hoplite revolution”. The hoplites were heavily armed infantry. The body-armour of the hoplite consisted of a breastplate or cuirass (Chalcis), a helmet with nose and cheek guards (first seen at Corinth), and greaves-all of which were constructed of bronze. The Greeks learned these techniques from the east as China was the first civilization to develop the technique of bronze metal. The most vital protection of this Greek infantry was a round or elliptical round shield (Argos) secured to the left arm. They carried a short, straight iron sword (Chalcis) and a nine foot long thrusting spear.
The hoplites fought in a phalanx which is a close, tight mass of soldiers eight lines deep. They pursued the battle by shoving (othismos), and every man was responsible for protecting his neighbor. This form of fighting eliminated the hero of the battle which Homer praised. The age of ego was left in the past of ancient Greece, and the state was the major commitment to the hoplite warrior.
There are a number of Greek reenactment groups all over the world. If you were inspired the movie, “300″, joining a Greek reenactment group may be just the thing for you. Reenactment groups are a great way to meet people with interests like yours, and it is also an important in looking at the past, so we may navigate better in the future. It’s also just plain fun!