Greek re-enactors - how do you display?

[Giannis K. Hoplite]

The right arm is indeed odd not to be protected. In Othismos though,I don't think legs are/can be much of a target. Especially thighs,that are almost completely protected by the shield. You will find a vast amount of greaves in archaic and classical times,though.

[PMBardunias]

Glad it’s of help Paul! I found your article very interesting, do I have your permission to share a copy with other interested members of my society? It may make the theory clearer for them.

Please do. They can ask me directly if interested as well.

In a real hoplite battle though this is a good point although it has always confused me why there is so few examples and references to thigh and foot armour compared with the amount of chest armour, though a few do exist. You would think the feet and legs would be too vulnerable. The same with the Romans; I have often thought how heavily armoured legionaries are from head to waist but their arms and legs are almost never protected by armour and are often exposed from the shield and their feet are never protected! An obvious target? It seems strange to me!

There is a clear transition in hoplite armor. Early panoply could include armor for the thighs, greaves, instep and toes, ankles, right shoulder, and forearm. The fact that these were abandoned meas that they must have been seen as not worth the weight. The same thing happens to the helmets when the Pilos is widely adopted.

Why? My guess is that in the press of othismos most blows are coming down from above- the pilos should be more resistant to these than a corinthian just based on the shape. As to arm guards, I too find it odd that they are not used, but perhaps it is relatively easy to bind your opponents arm and the fact that you have to keep that arm raised the whole time in the press may make the weight a problem. It seems that the second ranker was also responsible for protecting the front rank man as well as himself with his upraised weapon.

It would be interesting to have a couple guys pressed shield to shield, belly to belly and helmet to helmet (as Tyrtaeus tells us) with pressure from behind and give them sticks with wet paint to see exactly where they can hit each other. Or forget the paint and count the bruises :wink:

My guess is that they cannot hit each other in the face and by placing your head along that of your foe, you limit the ability of other enemies from doing so safely. The effect is something like clinching in boxing, you are much safer in this position. Remember too that the second man is right behind you, his helmet is actually protrecting your neck.

[Giannis K. Hoplite]

But this isn't the case with the second or third rank,is it. A guess for the unprotected arm is that it actually rested behind the shield as well. This is more comfortable than keeping it raised above the head all the time,but has one major problem: The man behind you is very vulnerable ty your sauroter. It is less tiring because your upper arm is pressed on your body and takes the weight. Another disadvantage is that you don't have freedom of movement. However,if the men behind you are closely pressing you,I domn't think the sauroter is that dngerous,as it passed with a slight angle ovr their right shoulder.
Khairete
Giannis

[PMBardunias]

Both from testamony of reenactors and a few literary references I am leaning towards only the first two ranks actively engaged in doratismos. Men in the 3rd and even perhaps 4th rank could reach the enemy if extremely packed, but this seems to be very disruptive. Probably these men held the doru with the sauroter in the ground to aid in balance and help push (like a ski pole). From some experimentation, I'm convinced that you don't need much room to bring a doru up from this position, especially since you would not be doing it unless a space opened in front of you.

I don't know if you could keep your right arm behind your neighbor's shield in such a tight press, but just cocking it back would greatly reduce the vulnerability. It is while striking that it would be vulnerable. As I have written before, the value of the Spartan sword in this situation is obvious.

[hoplite14gr]

We tested a few things.

Othismos 6 s 4. 2 men frontage holding shields and carrying long sticks for safety reasons

4 had difficulty holding their ground against the 6.

Attempt by 3rd rank to reach the legs of of the opposition by trying to touch them with the lower end of the stick were normally the sauroter would have been caused a lot fumbling and was abandoned

Kind regards