Athenian Hoplites

[Araujo]

I have always heard that the Arcadians and Athenians did never have proper hoplites, as those of Sparta, or even Makedonia. Athens wasn't a military center, a city of phalanxes, maybe only in the era of Pausanias.
Athenians were democrats, free men, never soldiers, proper soldiers. The only ones they had were the Council Guard, or the Municipal Guard. We have never heard of the "Athenian Army", or the "Athenian Phalanx". Never. Because Athens was a city of philosophers, of teachers, of sculptors, of free men, not of a city of soldiers, hoplites, phalanxers, shieldbearers, no. The only great power in war the Athenians had was their navy: 300 warships, pluss the auxiliary fleet of the Greek Allies.

[Hoplitesmores]

Eeeer ,no Athenians had hoplites of all types and even Iphicratians in a time.

[Giannis K. Hoplite]

Araujo, and how do you think the Athenians kept having teachers,philosophers,sculptors etc in their city? With their fleet? With what army do you think the Athenians burnt the countyside of Megara every year in the first part of the Peloponnesian War? With what army do you think the Athenian fleet scared the other city states? Why do you think the Spartans feared the Athenian fleet sailing around Peloponnesos? Because of their ships? No,because of the content of their ships. And this was perfectly equiped hoplites,like all the other. How do you think the Athenians attempted to capture Syracuse? As soon as they settled outside the city and camped there, they didn't use their ships again till they tried to escape. Why do you think they stayed there for two years? Because the Syracusans didn't care of throwing them away? No,because the Athenian army was a huge,and fearsome army,leading the allied army. And finally,how did the Athenians win in the battle of Marathon? With their ships,that did not exist yet?
So you see,this view of the Athenian state is only for school books,unfortunately. Did you know that Socrates was a hero of the battle of Delion? And a veteran of the siege of Potidaia? Did you know that Aischylos was a veteran of the battle of Marathon and Salamis?
In his epitaphios, Pericles,even if pure propaganda, sais that "we-Athenians- are better than Spartans,because they spend all their life exercising for war and still they are less active than us. While we, have time for more productive thing to do in our everyday life, but still we're more successful in war. And if we fight with another state and we win,they don't feel so disgraced becasue they say they fought with the Athenias! And if they some times win only a small portion of our army,they emediately say that they won the whole Athenian army,to gain honour..."
I didn't have the text in front of me,it's only by memory what was the opinion of the Athenians for their army.
There is some truth in what you say,meaning that other states had more tradition in war than Athens. Like Sparta and Thebes. However,note that the number of wars the Athenians made in the 6th and 5th century,was bigger than that of Sparta.
In the middle of the 5th century,Athens had about 40.000 citizens,most of them hoplites. sparta at that time had about 8-9.000.
Tegea is in Arcadia. In the 5th century Tegea was the best ally of Sparta,always following them figting at their left. Very good hoplites. During and after the Peloponnesian war, Arcadians were the most numerous and most famous mercenaries. They may didn't stay in their state-mostly because of pauverty- but Arcadians were some of the most fearsome hoplites of the time.
On the other hand,don't get confuse with Macedonia. At the time that Athens,Sparta nad Thebes were great powers,Macedonia did not have hoplites or heavy infantry. Possibly not even heavy cavalry. It was only after Philip II that Macedonia had organised army.
Khaire
Giannis

[hoplite14gr]

By 5th century B.C. Every city state had a group of hoplites.

The last to convert were the Phocians locrians and Aetolians

Macedonians were slow to convert to hoplites. But the experiment was short lived when Perdikkas was crushed by the Illyrians.

Spartans were simply the best at this type of warfare plus they were never seriously challenged by other Greeks after 494 B.C.


Athenina hoplites proved their worth roun 500 B.C crushing the Chalkidian Ipovotae and later the Beotians in Oropos.
e to draw conclusions on a particular military establishmet.

Kind regards

[Matthew Amt]

As I understand it, the famous great thinkers and philosophers of Athens regarded warfare as the natural state of mankind, and peace as an abberation. The gravestone of Aeschylus doesn't mention the 80 plays he wrote, but says only "I fought at Marathon". Socrates was reknowned as a complete kick-butt warrior!

It was the Spartans who were the weirdos on the block, really.

Matthew