Hoplite Shield Designs

[hoplite14gr]

Before 600 B.C the clan-family emblem dominates.
Spartan Elos mora example (roughly between 600 B.C to 400 B.C)
Not all hoplites are Homioi.
All Homioi sport the black bull on red background. The perimeter of the shields has one of the 3 decorations depending on which Doric tribe the hoplite belongs. The perioikoi probably had a black bull on the bronze facing and probably triangles on the perimeter being Acheans.
The file leaders probably have high crests and the merarchos probably traverse crest.
Between 600 B.C to 500 B.C the hoplite's personal emblem might appear on the shield base on pottery evidence but this is unlikely after 500 B.C.

In other city states the "national" emblem started appearing after the overthrow of monarchy or tyrrany. Though aristocrats kept their own emblems, the majority of the new hoplites adopted the new "popular" emblem - remeber party politcs are very strong in Greece.

Kind regards