8.2 Flashcards
What happend to greek wars after the persian wars?
Greek wars became long
and almost without seasonal intermission.
ampaigns could take place in distant regions for
ambitious plans of conquest
What was the evolution of the hoplite phalanx and what is that?
Hoplites were heavy infantry in Classical Greece
Lighter helmets and
armor, which made the
phalanx more mobile and
flexible
Starting from the Peloponnesian War there were
attempts to improve the traditional use of the
phalanx with a different battle order and simple
maneuvers.
* Lighter hoplites were better suited for the those
innovative tactics
The Battle of Leuctra, what tactic was used
Theban tactic: the
bulk of the army
with the elite
“sacred band” and
the commander
on the left wing to
meet the best
enemy troops and
their general; the
rest of the troops
avoid contact with
the enemy as long
as possibl
Who were the first figuers of generals?
The first figures of “generals” – citizens who
specialized as military experts and were appointed as
commanders in the field - emerge in this period. Some
of them became true professionals who could be
hired by different powers.
At a lower level, there was a need for expert soldiers
who could act as junior officers and trainers.
* Several Greek cities formed semi-professional units of
soldiers who trained all year and received financial
support and benefits. There were also efforts to
improve and standardize the military training of the
citizens.
* Mercenaries were used in increasingly large numbers.
Mercenaries how were they looked at?
Mercenaries were appreciated
for their effectiveness and were
considered more expendable
than citizens but were also
outsiders and were looked at
with suspicion. They are
represented in literature in a
very negative way.
* Demand for professional
soldiers, however, was high and
many chose this career, not only
the poor but also middle and
upper class individuals.
Who was the historic that was also a mercentary solider
he historian Xenophon was also a mercenary
soldier: his ‘Anabasis’ is the account of the
expedition of 10,000 Greek mercenaries hired
by a pretender to the Persian throne and how
they returned to Greece under his leadership
Why were calvary and light infantry important?
Cavalry and light infantry were very
important to protect the phalanx and to
make fast attacks against unprepared
enemies. Unsupported units of hoplites
were vulnerable.
*The siege of walled cities, which was
previously a very uncommon event,
required the use of artillery and
engineers
who are the The peltasts and was the nbew style?
he Peltast was type of light
infantry soldier that existed
already but became especially
important from the 5 th
century. Peltasts took their
name from the pelte, their
light shield that was different
from the hoplite shield. They
used mostly javelins for fast
hit-and-run attacks.
Many peltasts were
mercenaries from Thrace,
today southern Bulgaria
new style” of
peltast was invented
by Iphicrates, an
Athenian general. He
armed units of
mercenaries as lighter
hoplites with a longer
spear and a smaller
round shield, which
allowed them to use
both hands. This type
of soldier could replace
the traditional hoplite
Why did athenain calvarylmen presen thier horse for annual inspection
Beczuse If the horse was
accepted, the owner
received a sum of
money as loan for
the use of the
horse, to be repaid
at the end of service
if the horse was still
in good health, and
a daily salary to buy
fodder in times of
war.
Which king of Macedon truend it into a great power of the greek world. and what particular battle?
Philip II
Philip turned Macedon into the new
great power of the Greek world. After a
series of victories, and in particular the
battle of Chaeronea against Athens and
Thebes (338 BCE), Philip took control of
Greece
