Democracy with Shield: Ancient Greece(eng)

(Версия на Русском)

The notion of Democracy in Ancient Greece was significantly different from the modern understanding or the current political perversion of it. Only armed citizens who gave an oath to defend home town(Polis) had the rights to make a collective decisions regarding all aspects of the town life.

Emergence, culminations and degradation of Greek Democracy in some aspects are related to the invention of the new martial art technique and cheap and effective weapons and arms. The structure of the greek State reflects the necessary elements of a new military unit – hoplite phalanx.

During Homer’s described battles the fight looks like an individual combat. Some hero, say Achilles, is standing on top of the battle field in shiny armors and rounding all enemies to the right and left. Occasionally, he is calling another hero for dueling. The main success in such type of battle is depend on personal fighting skills and perfect expensive weapons and other equipment: chariots, horses, armors.

However, around 7th century B.C, the structure of the mass fights changes. Phalanx became the most efficient  military units to destroy any type of enemy. At the same time, simultaneously, the individual kings in towns had being replaced by common citizens meetings.

Hoplite by definition is a heavily armed infantry soldier. With rare exceptions all citizens(farmers and craftsmen) of the Polis has to get two-year military training, to buy required arms and be ready to answer a draft call at any moment. In returns they get the full citizenship rights, participation in common meetings and right decide all important questions of declaring war and conducting peace negotiations. It was the only way to be considered a full free citizen.

Hoplite equipment includes: shield, sward, spear and armor. Total price was about 30 drachmas ( ~$1500, see my previous notes about ancient greek pricing https://sergeyand.wordpress.com/2018/03/21/what-was-the-cost-of-socrates-death/ )

The price was affordable for the average citizen, however Polis’s budget cannot supply all citizen with weapon. Therefore, the obligation to buy, maintain and own of all weapons was a personal responsibility. The right of the people to keep and bear Arms was not only the right in Ancient Greece but a strong obligation. Weapon was stored in open access, however there were no report regarding mass murdering of unarmed people in public places such as gymnasiums, temples, and theater. (probably occasional bystanders quickly dispatched any crazy Rambos)

The main technical innovation was a two-handled shield. One handle was in the middle of the disk for the left elbow hook, another close to the edge for the hand grip. Such construction allows to hold rather heavy(>10kg) and wide shield.

The hoplite shield size was about one meter in diameter. It covered not only the frontal section of the body but also it had some additional protected space to the left of the soldier. This additional space allows to join together multiple shields and keep the defended surface across all phalanx length. This military formation requires very coordinated movements and reliability of any phalanx’s elements.

The active stage of the battle of two phalanxes stars with the charge. Upon command hoplites run in ranks toward the enemy. Two walls of shields crushed into each other and then keep pushing each other holding front lines. The weight and size of the shield and continuous pressure restrict some mobility of the fighter. But, in case of tearing the opposite line, the enemy become unshielded and exposed, the broken phalanx was losing its elasticity and resistance.

Being in close contact under shields pressure, first raws start using spears which they hold in right hands between shields. Stubbing movement was targeting unprotected body parts: groin, throat, thigh. Spears was made from ash and has a length around 3 meters. Given the more strong position of a fighter: left leg forward, right lag as a base(zenkutsu-Dachi) the depth of the stance should be around 1-1.5 meters. Then the second row warriors have a very limited chances to hit the enemy. Main job was falling on the first row. The role of other rows (depth of phalanx was 8-16 rows) was to produce the momentum of the initial shields clash, keep the 1st row in place and substitute the falling fighters.

After a few strikes the wooden spears brake and the next phase of battle follows: chopping with the swords. Most likely that by that time the destiny of the battle was already predetermined. It’s probably unhooks the line and move the battle into individual fights.

This noticed by general Nikias in Plato’s Laches dialog: the individual fighting skills become important when the lines are broken. (La. 182.a)

Thus, the most efficient military formation across several centuries, phalanx, contained a few principles of the social political organization for greek poleis.

1. Hoplites were in equal conditions and own the standard equipment. Therefore, they possess the equal civil rights and obligations.
2. Greek polis had no money to support professional army and differentiate the military functions. Therefore, phalanx was a unit of citizens, and the right to be a citizen depends on participation in phalanx.
3. Hoplite’s life was dependent upon actions of his neighbors in ranks, which creates a special trust and mutual respect among citizens.
4. Every element of phalanx has to act with a high level of coordination, which requires follow orders of elected commanders. In peaceful conditions this role was transferred to popular assembly of citizens.
5. Slaves and non-citizens were not participated in phalanx, since to in trust the hoplite’s life to the people who had no Polis’s roots was very risky.
6. The hoplites’ phalanx organization, being the most efficient military form, spread the political democracy across most of Ionic, Aegis and Mediterranean poleis in Greece. This includes: equal political and civil rights, total military training and draft obligation, cheap and affordable efficient weapons.

Philip/Alexander superior invention of military specialization (phalanx, cavalry and spears of various length) was an important historical factor of the Greek democracy decline.