08-25-2016, 07:38 PM
So, since I was last posting here a lot, I have come to the realization that for much of the early hoplite period they threw spears. The very early representations clearly show a throwing spear and javelin, or maybe a pair of what would later show up in Hellenistic times as longche. We could discuss that if you disagree, but I think it best fits the evidence that the early hoplite fought not in a dedicated offensive phalanx, but in something much more like a saxon shieldwall or roman fulkcum where the threw missiles and acted as a wall for others throwing missiled behind them.
My real question has to do with late hoplites. I have always been troubled by two things. First, how did hoplites fight sarissaphoroi? I have never seen this described definitively. Second, why does Diodorus talk about all those thrown spears? I don't believe that Epaminondas was throwing spears at anyone, but obviously there was some reason the idea of a hoplite throwing a spear was not comical to his readers or those of his sources. Love to have Ephorus's original. But if we accept that you can throw a spear and still be a hoplite- ie carry and aspis- is it possible that prior to the switch to thureos Greek infantry was carrying a pair of longche again? I know its off the wall, but I bring it up because if there were evidence for such it might have been overlooked simply because of our assumption that hoplites were always single dory users.
My real question has to do with late hoplites. I have always been troubled by two things. First, how did hoplites fight sarissaphoroi? I have never seen this described definitively. Second, why does Diodorus talk about all those thrown spears? I don't believe that Epaminondas was throwing spears at anyone, but obviously there was some reason the idea of a hoplite throwing a spear was not comical to his readers or those of his sources. Love to have Ephorus's original. But if we accept that you can throw a spear and still be a hoplite- ie carry and aspis- is it possible that prior to the switch to thureos Greek infantry was carrying a pair of longche again? I know its off the wall, but I bring it up because if there were evidence for such it might have been overlooked simply because of our assumption that hoplites were always single dory users.