What was unusual and important about Greek soldiers called hoplites?

hoplite, heavily armed ancient Greek foot soldier whose function was to fight in close formation. While the phalanx formation was unwieldy, the equipment heavy, and pursuit difficult, Greek hoplites were the best fighters in the Mediterranean world and in great demand as mercenaries in Lydia, Babylonia, and Egypt.

What were the hoplites known for?

Hoplites (HOP-lytes) (Ancient Greek: ὁπλίτης : hoplítēs) were citizen-soldiers of Ancient Greek city-states who were primarily armed with spears and shields. The formation proved successful in defeating the Persians when employed by the Athenians at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC during the First Greco-Persian War.

What are hoplites and why are they important to Greece?

A hoplite (from ta hopla meaning tool or equipment) was the most common type of heavily armed foot-soldier in ancient Greece from the 7th to 4th centuries BCE, and most ordinary citizens of Greek city-states with sufficient means were expected to equip and make themselves available for the role when necessary.

What made the Greek hoplites so effective?

Combining their teamwork, physical strength, and mental fortitude, the hoplite heavy infantrymen were a devastating defensive force on the battlefield, but they were not without weaknesses.

What was the effect of hoplite warfare on the Greek Poleis?

Hoplite warfare effected the Greek poleis in that it was start of democracy. Since the hoplites were also everyday citizens, they wanted to have a say in what wars they were fighting in.

What did 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.

Why was the hoplite significant?

Ancient Greek hoplite soldiers performed an important function in society and they helped shaped the effectiveness of the Ancient Greek armies. They also played a political role because without them, the army would not be effective and would not enable the armies to protect their lands.

What was 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.

Who were the hoplites in ancient Greece?

Greek Hoplites, 700-300 B.C. These citizen-soldiers of ancient Greece were nearly unstoppable. Greek hoplites were infantry warriors who carried shields, were primarily armed with spears, and fought in the disciplined ranks of a phalanx formation – a solid mass of soldiers typically eight ranks deep.

What equipment did hoplites carry?

The equipment might well be passed down in families, since it would have been expensive to manufacture. The average farmer-peasant hoplite typically wore no armour, carrying only a shield, a spear, and perhaps a helmet plus a secondary weapon.

What is hoplite armor?

This article focuses specifically on the pieces of hoplite armor used in the ancient Greek sport hoplitodromos. Hoplites were volunteer soldiers of the ancient Greek world who were characterized by the large, wooden shields most of them carried; the hoplon (also commonly called the aspis ).

Why did hoplites prefer to fight on level ground?

Battles were fought on level ground, and hoplites preferred to fight with high terrain on both sides of the phalanx so the formation could not be flanked. An example of this was the Battle of Thermopylae, where the Spartans specifically chose a narrow coastal pass to make their stand against the massive Persian army.