The military history of ancient Greece is the history of the wars and battles of the Greek people in Greece, the Balkans and the Greek colonies in the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea prior to 400 AD. Greek warriors: Hoplites, taking their name from the word 'Hoplon' meaning their complete military kit. 'Hoplite' can be translated as 'man-at-arms'. Ancient Greece developed a military formation called the phalanx, which were rows of shoulder-to-shoulder hoplites armed with spears that were pointed at the enemy, so that enemies would be facing rows of spears and shields. The phalanx was the main part of ancient Greek military. Because the hoplites were all protected by their own shield and others’ shields and spears, they were relatively safe as long as they didn’t scatter. This is stupid In a phalanx, the first two rows’ spear would point forward, then as you go to the back, the spears’ will be raised more and more. Alexander’s army had spears called sarissa that was 18 feet long, which was better than the original spears called doru that were 7–9 feet long. Hoplite armor was extremely expensive, and was passed down a family. The secondary weapons of hoplites were xiphos, short swords used when their spear was broken or lost while fighting. There was also light infantry, javelin throwers (peltasts), and cavalry used in skirmishes. Greece military may have slingers or archers, too.
Prehistoric and Ancient period[]
- Trojan War
- Lelantine War
- Messenian Wars
- First Sacred War
- Persian Wars
- First Peloponnesian War
- Sicilian Wars
- Peloponnesian War
- Battle of Arginusae
- Battle of Delium
- Battle of Chalcis
- Battle of Sybota
- Battle of Potidaea
- Battle of Naupactus (429 BC)
- Battle of Notium
- Battle of Syme
- Battle of Cynossema
- Battle of Pylos
- Battle of Sphacteria
- Battle of Amphipolis
- Battle of Mantinea (418 BC)
- Battle of Olpae
- Sicilian Expedition
- Battle of Syme
- Battle of Cyzicus
- Battle of Aegospotami
- Corinthian War
- Battle of Coronea
- Battle of Naxos
- Corinthian War
- Battle of Leuctra
- Battle of Cynoscephalae
- Battle of Mantinea (362 BC)
- March of the 10,000
- Battle of Crocus Field
- Foreign War
- Wars of Alexander the Great
- Lamian War
- Wars of the Diadochi
- Chremonidean War
- Battle of Sellasia
- Battle of Pydna
- Battle of Cynoscephalae
- Battle of Asculum
- Cretan War
- First Macedonian War
- Second Macedonian War
- Third Macedonian War
- Fourth Macedonian War
Ancient & Roman fortifications[]
- Long Walls
- Isthmus Wall
- Phocian Wall
Alliances[]
- Achaean League
- League of Corinth
- Delian League
- Peloponnesian League
- Aetolian League
- Pan-Hellenic League
- Knossos League
- Gortyn League
- Mountain League
- Phaistos League
Notes[]
The original article can be found at Military of ancient Greece and the edit history here.