In the manner of neighboring city-states, the backbone of the Athenian military on land was theHoplite.[1] Hoplites used to fight inphalanx formation when in typical open land battles, like thebattle of Marathon. Accompanying every Hoplite was a lightly armed attendant, either a poor citizen who could not afford a regular suit ofarmor (panoplia), or possibly a trustedslave. These attendants carried the Hoplite's shield (aspis) until the battle and most of the baggage. While generally armed withjavelins, they sometimes hadspears,slings orbows. The attendants acted asskirmishers before the pitched battle and were assigned to guard the camp during the actual fight. When the battle was over, they would attempt either to cover the retreat of the main body or slaughter the fleeing enemy forces if their own hoplites were victorious.[2]
During and after thePeloponnesian Wars, the use and importance of light troops increased with the introduction of thepeltasts: lightly armoured, if at all, and armed with javelins and a shield, thepelte.[2] Their effectiveness in battle, even against the best-trained heavy hoplites, was demonstrated by the Athenian generalIphicrates, who annihilated an entireSpartanmora with his peltasts at thebattle of Lechaeum.[3] Athens also had a force of cavalry.
During theGreco-Persian Wars, Athens developed a large, powerful navy in the easternMediterranean Sea that defeated the even largerPersian Navy at theBattle of Salamis underThemistocles and then at theBattle of the Eurymedon underCimon. The Athenian Navy consisted of 80,000 crewing 400 ships.[citation needed] The backbone of the navy's manpower was a core of professional rowers drawn from the lower classes of Athenian society. This gave the Athenian fleets an advantage in training over the less professional fleets of its rivals.[citation needed] The main warships of the fleet were thetriremes. With its fleet, Athens obtained hegemony over the rest of theGreek city-states forming theAthenian Empire. Its fleet was destroyed and its empire lost during thePeloponnesian War. Athens regained some of its naval power after theSecond Athenian League was rebuilt; however, it never fully recovered as its rivals were much stronger than before. The fleet included two sacred ships, theParalus and theSalaminia used for diplomatic and ceremonial duties.[2]
In 322 BC during theLamian war, although fallen from the height of its power during theGolden Age of Pericles in the 5th century, Athens still had extensive financial resources at its disposal and a fleet numbering 240 or perhaps even 400 warships.[4]
^Neer, Richard T (2012).Greek art and archaeology: a new history, c. 2500-c. 150 BCE. New York. p. 95.ISBN9780500288771.OCLC745332893.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
This article incorporates text fromA Day in Old Athens, byWilliam Stearns Davis, a publication from 1910, now in thepublic domain in the United States.
This article incorporates text fromA Day in Old Athens, byWilliam Stearns Davis, a publication from 1910, now in thepublic domain in the United States.
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