04-02-2009, 10:52 PM
Quote:Cole wrote:
Quote:I think it has been argued that the hoplite "revolution" is still ongoing around 500 BC,
....I think that must be a rather dubious proposition at best. The 'common opinion' is that phalanx/Hoplite warfare was introduced to Greece in the 8C. BC, following the introduction of the 'Argive' aspis, though some revisionists have suggested a date as recent as the 7C.BC. Originally, the Hoplites seem to have used two dual-purpose throwing/thrusting spears (longche), which was replaced by the 'Great Spear' (dory). Certainly 'full blown' Phalanx warfare in the classic sense is shown on the Chigi vase of c. 650 BC, which means that any 'revolution' was complete by then. The men carry aspides, a single spear (dory) which they grasp to thrust, though spears with throwing loops in pairs are shown propped up in an arming scene. They are in formed lines and run into battle together in step ( incidently throwing doubt on the Athenian claim to be the first to do so at Marathon).
See Hans van Wees, "The Development of the Hoplite Phalanx: Iconography and Reality in the Seventh Century" for this. He is one of, if not the strongest proponents of the existence of the Boeotian shield and the late development of the phalanx, and he addresses just about all of your points, especially the Chigi vase and the other depictions of warfare which have been pointed to as evidence of the phalanx being in use in the seventh century. While I disagree with some of his conclusions, I think his main point - that the iconographic evidence does not prove that the phalanx in the sense that Thucydides knew it was in use at this time, and that the literary evidence shows that such phalanx combat was not known by the time of Tyrtaeus - is an important one and well made. He also makes a few good points about the general use of the Argive shield which a lot of people seem to miss. As he points out, the men on the Chigi vase all carry two spears - the second ones, held in their shield hands, are very faded, but are still visible on good reproductions of the vases.
Ruben
He had with him the selfsame rifle you see with him now, all mounted in german silver and the name that he\'d give it set with silver wire under the checkpiece in latin: Et In Arcadia Ego. Common enough for a man to name his gun. His is the first and only ever I seen with an inscription from the classics. - Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian
He had with him the selfsame rifle you see with him now, all mounted in german silver and the name that he\'d give it set with silver wire under the checkpiece in latin: Et In Arcadia Ego. Common enough for a man to name his gun. His is the first and only ever I seen with an inscription from the classics. - Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian
