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The Classical Phalanx Drums beat in the distance, keeping the rhythm of the advance. The hot Greek sun beats down on you under your heavy armor and equipment. The overlapping shields of you and your fellow soldiers keeps you locked into formation, steadily advancing towards your enemy. Several yards out from the enemy line, the order is given to charge. You crash into your opponent’s shield with a sickening crunch; the pushi...

A hoplite’s most important piece of equipment, and what gave the hoplite its name, is the hoplon, the shield (881004). The shield was made of overlapping planks of wood covered in leather, with the face of the shield covered completely in a thin sheet of bronze. This gave it incredible strength while at the same time not making it so heavy that it became unusable. Each shield was round and approximately 36” to...

Sparta dominated Greece for nearly two centuries. They fought many wars against the other Greek states and fought two major wars with Persia alone and with the Peloponnesian League. Their army was depleted greatly by these wars and finally fell from power; ironically from a two pronged attack from above and below- a war with Thebes and a massive earthquake that hit Sparta killing thousands. Mother Nature did what no one else could. From their fi...