War and Society Flashcards
War and Society
- Two-way relationship between the ethics of war and culture in general
- War was a component of the ancient Greek lifestyle
Well organized, large state has very large, complex army
- Casualties viewed differently - In Greek society, war was a frequent event - Peace Treaties were only 20-30 years - Don’t want to deprive their sons of war (the next generation can fight if they want to)
War and Politics
-The Greeks themselves considered war a part of politics and economics
Origins of Greek warfare: Homer
-Homer’s poems weren’t real but they had real aspects such as
- Heroes using chariots (sign of prestige)
- Hoplite armour being bulky, little movement
- Ranks in armies
Heroes and Soldiers in Homer
Mass of soldiers is important
While the poet focuses on the duels of heroes they rarely determine the outcome of the battle
Homer and the hoplites
Close formation fighting, in true hoplite phalanx
Hoplite reform
Traditional view: change in military tactics took place in the 7th C and also changed politics and society (shaped Greek Polis)
- Hoplites could be promoted socially/politically
- Evidence show this happened
- LARGE ROUND SHIELD WITH DOUBLE HANDLE found in Argos
Revisionist view: no change and didn’t have a role in forming the Polis
Why a military reform?
Aristotle summary: political and military structure mirror each other, a change in one would mean a change in the other
View of modern historians
- Polis = city + territory/frontier
- Many Polis were side by side, frontiers touching
- Hoplites are actually defensive soldiers, whose function was the defence of agricultural plains
- expand and defend their territories
Hoplites provided their own armour and food = many rich middle class citizens + willing to fight
*Change was from society to the military (not military to society)
Military structure and Political Structure
Athens: the top 2 classes of Solon are also the most important component of the army; in Democracy there were 10 tribes of Kleisthenes are also the units of the city army
Greek War until the Persians
- Predominance of relatively limited warfare.
- Raids for booty
- Private initiatives
- Limited border conflicts were the rule
- All-out war for the destruction = rare
Hoplite war and Mentality
Highly ritualized - sacrifices Code of honour Virtue Self-control Discipline Collective success rather than individual **
Plutarch quotes “with this or on this” (shield) ex. Come back with this or on this shield, don’t give up – disgraceful
Ideal traditional Hoplite Warfare
- Wars were a few days, maybe a week
- Who wins the battle wins the war
- Seasonal
- Decided by a pitched battle in open field
- No standing army, but citizen militia
- Doesn’t require a long professional training
- They don’t have time to train, they have to run business, look after their fields, go to assembly, etc.
-Only those who could afford armour could fight
A gentlemen’s war?
Some consider Greek warfare a sort of competition regulated by agreed principles and rules
-Probably an ethical reason instead - honour code?
Warriors and status representation
From the 8th C weapons disappear from tombs but are dedicated in sanctuaries
*Public communal victories rather than private
Polis are public and value collective achievements
-Those who died for the city, the city buries
