Research On The Hoplite Phalanx Of Ancient Greece

Since the beginning of the Archaic Period,hoplite formally entered the arena of ancient Greek military history and developed into the backbone of troops in the Classical Period.The nobility no longer dominated the battlefield,and hoplite from civilian origins had gradually became the protagonist of the battlefield.Most of the Greek hoplite retired in their free time and to kill the enemy in battle with weapons and equipment.Helmets,breastplates,greaves,shields,spears,and swords are the basic armor for hoplite and play different roles at different stages of the battle.The phalanx is an initiative of ancient Greek hoplite which originated from the protection of private fields.It formed a more formal and self-contained set of combat units and tactics after a series of evolution.There are usually eight columns of hoplite phalanx ranging in depth,and their basic operational idea is to push their own platoons into enemy squares in a layered manner to achieve the purpose of killing the enemy.In the actual combat,the fixed mode of “treating,charging,killing and ending” is roughly followed,and in tactical aspects,it often depends on psychological deterrence,sitting still to the enemy,generals participation,and intimate collaboration.This combat unit and model played a significant role in the Greek battle,but the subsequent Peloponnesian War,Greek city-state warfare,and the rise of Macedonia destroyed the hoplite phalanx of Athens,Sparta and Thebes.The period of Greek hoplite phalanx is declining.The ancient Greek hoplite phalanx has a profound influence on later generations.Regardless of whether in weapons and equipment or in strategic thought,the ancient Greek hoplite phalanx warfare can be regarded as one of the highlights of the history of European warfare.And it is still attractive and worthy of future generations to explore now.