Armor and Weapons

The armor and weapons used during war varied in accordance to the wealth of the soldier, technological advancements, and battle tactics. The heavy-infantry soldier was perhaps the most formidable soldier because of his wealth and social stature. The hoplites, who were armed with a variety of armaments, were formed into heavy-infantry phalanxes. These armaments consisted of a javelin varying in length from to the average two and a half meters and a short sword for hand to hand combat, usually ending with one opponent sustaining a prolonged death through a fatal wound (which would often become infected). The defensive armor worn by the hoplites varied over the centuries. The shield evolved from a round mediocre shield about half the size of a man to a large rectangular shield that could better deflect projectile attacks. Later some shields were decreased in size to the point where the shield became a large shoulder plate attached onto the upper arm, which allowed both hands to be free for offensive attacks. The composition of the shield varied from region to region and represented the military identity of the bearer.

A popular folklore phrase of ancient Sparta represents their military heroism on the field, in which the wives of the soldiers would say to their husbands as they left for war "Come back carrying your shields or come back on them." The large rectangular shields of the third century B.C. were commonly used as stretchers for the dead and wounded. Heavy-infantry soldiers wore bronze breastplates that were contoured to their bodies, often in ideal forms to perhaps evoke fear in their enemies. The helmet was decorated according to rank, which also represented social stature, and greaves were also worn. Often the hoplite soldiers who were wealthy enough hired armament bearers, whereas the light-infantry carried their own armaments. Eventually the responsibility of furnishing oneself with weapons and armor was passed to the government, allowing lower class individuals to participate in war. Throughout the centuries armor and weapons became much more technologically efficient and attainable to the greater populace leading to massive offensive fronts which were fought with heavy and light-infantry units along with the support of cavalry. As warfare became much more professional and organized, the need to sufficiently arm and defend the soldiers was prioritized along with military training.

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