Phalanxes and Triremes: Warfare in

Ancient Greece
By Ancient History Encyclopedia, adapted by Newsela staff on 08.08.17
Word Count 912
Level 870L

A lithograph plate showing ancient Greek warriors in a variety of different uniforms. Photo from Wikimedia.

The ancient Greeks fought many wars, both big and small. There were long
periods of peace, but sooner or later, the desire for new territory or riches led to
war. For the Greeks, the rewards of war outweighed the costs.

Toward professional warfare

Early Greek warfare did not involve trained armies. There were no uniforms, and
as soon as the fighting was over, the soldiers would return to their farms.

By the fifth century B.C, armies started to become more professional. Sparta
provided a model for all other Greek city-states to follow. With their well-trained
full-time army, the Spartans showed what professionalism in warfare could
achieve.

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Many other city-states, such as Athens, Argos, Thebes and Syracuse, began to
maintain a small professional force. In other words, being a soldier became a full-
time job. If necessary, this force would be made larger by non-professional
soldiers drawn from the general population.

Wars also changed over time.

Early on, warfare was mostly a matter of single battles fought in a few hours.
Both sides were made up of a small number of men.

In time, such battles were replaced by major wars that could last for years.
Armies became far larger, and the fighting took place over a much larger area.
Many people were killed.

Armies, soldiers and weapons

The core of any Greek army was a soldier known as the hoplite. He carried a long
spear, a short sword and a round bronze shield. He was further protected by a
bronze helmet, a bronze breastplate, shin armor and ankle guards. Fighting was
close up, bloody and very deadly.

The peltast warrior was armed with a short

javelin spear and was more lightly armored
than the hoplite. He was able to move
around more easily and quickly and became
a great danger to the slower-moving
hoplites. Over time, hoplites began to wear
lighter leather armor, in order to be able to
move around more quickly in battle.

Javelin throwers, archers and slingers using

stones and lead bullets were also able to
attack the enemy. Horse-riding soldiers, or cavalry, were used too, but only in
limited numbers. Much of Greece was simply too rocky for horses.

Over time, armies were split into separate units. Groups of smaller units made up
the parts of larger units, each of which had its own commander.

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The phalanx

During battles, hoplites bunched together into a formation called the phalanx. The
phalanx moved forward together. Each man carried a large shield that protected
both himself and part of the soldier to his left. This allowed the phalanx to attack
the enemy while remaining fairly well protected.

A phalanx was eight to 12 men deep. The front line was as long as possible.

Naval warfare

Some Greek city-states had fleets of warships. Athens had as many as 200 vessels.
This mighty fleet allowed Athens to control the seas.

The trireme was the most common kind of

Greek ship. It was wooden and had a bronze
battering ram attached to the bow. The
battering ram was used to destroy enemy
vessels.

Warships served many purposes. Aside from

the conduct of war, they allowed the city-
states to form trade partnerships and to
establish new colonies.

A trireme was over 120 feet long. It was propelled by around 170 rowers. A small
number of hoplites and archers were also onboard.

The trireme was incredibly expensive. It shows how warfare became an expensive
concern of the state.

The will of the gods

Religion and ritual were important features of Greek life. Before any fighting took
place, the will of the gods had to be determined. This was done through
conversation with oracles and through animal sacrifices to the gods. Any
unfavorable signs could delay the battle.

At least for some city-states like Sparta, fighting could be prohibited on certain
occasions such as religious festivals.

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When all of these rituals were out of the way, fighting could begin. Even then it
was routine to patiently wait for the enemy to assemble on a suitable plain nearby.
Songs were sung to the gods and both sides would advance to meet each other.

Sieges

Greek cities were surrounded by large walls that kept invaders out.

To force cities to surrender, armies might stage a siege. Soldiers surrounded a

city and prevented anyone from leaving or entering. A siege could go on for weeks
or months. Their aim was to starve a city into giving up.

Starting in the fourth century B.C., a number of new inventions made cities
harder to defend. Among them were wheeled towers and machines that could
throw spears, stones and even flames. City-states responded to these new threats
by building thicker and stronger walls.

The aftermath of victory

The winner of a war or important battle performed various ceremonies to mark

the victory. The dead were gathered and a victory trophy was set up. The trophy
could be a mound of captured weapons and armor, or an image of the god Zeus.
Sometimes, memorials to the fallen were also set up. Speeches, festivals and even
games could also take place.

Conclusion

Overall, war in ancient Greece became more professional and more deadly over
time. The invention of new weapons and ideas about how to win a war changed
the way wars were carried out. The military might of the ancient Greeks set the
pattern for warfare into Roman times.

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