How did the ancient Greeks fight?

Why was fighting so significant to the ancient Greeks?

Two ancient Greek warriors are shown in an orange and black design. One holds a sword and shield, while the other is ready to throw a spear, both wearing helmets and standing in a patterned border. — Image caption,
Ancient Greek soldiers

The ancient Greeks often went to war, both against other Greek cities and foreign enemies.
Soldiers fought in tight groups called phalanxes, while Spartans became famous for their discipline and training.
At sea, fast warships gave the Greeks an advantage.
Fighting was very significant to the Greeks in shaping their history and much of their daily life and culture.

Important words for the ancient Greeks

Keyword	Definition
Hoplite	A Greek foot soldier.
Phalanxes	The tight fighting formation of hoplites.
Spartans	Warriors from the Greek city of Sparta, known for their discipline.
Athens	A city in ancient Greece, famous for its learning, art and culture. Athens also fought in big battles like the Battle of Marathon.
Warships	Greek ships used in sea battles.
Persians	People from the Persian Empire who sometimes fought wars against Greece. The people of Persia were mostly from modern day Iran.
Triremes	A special type of Greek warship with three rows of oars. It was very fast and used to fight in sea battles against enemies like the Persians.

Who did the ancient Greeks fight and why?

Cartoon of a Greek soldier in armour with a shield and spear.

In ancient times, Greece wasn't a single country like it is today.
It was made up of lots of smaller states.
These states were always squabbling and often went to war.
Their biggest enemy were the Persians, who came from an area around modern day Iran.
The Persian kings tried to conquer Greece a few times but the Greeks managed to fight them off.
The Greeks led by Alexander the Great defeated the Persian Empire in the 330s.

How did the hoplites fight as a team?

The Greek foot soldier was called a hoplite.
He fought with a long spear and used a large round shield for protection.

A piece of greek pottery showing hoplite soldiers. — Image caption,
This piece of pottery shows hoplites fighting.

In battle, hoplites fought as a team.
They lined up and locked their shields together with just their spears pointing over the top.
This formation was known as a phalanx.

Enemy soldiers saw only a wall of spears and shields moving towards them.
It was tough to break through once a phalanx started marching forward.
The Greeks had archers and cavalry too.

How did Greek soldiers train?

In Sparta, boys left their families at age 7 to begin intense military training in a programme called the ‘agoge’.
The training focused on building strength, toughness and discipline. Boys practised gymnastics and military exercises every day.
By the age of 20, young men began serving in the army full-time as Spartan soldiers.
This made Spartan training special as it prepared boys to be strong and disciplined warriors from childhood, ready to protect their city.

Who were the Spartans?

A Spartan soldier pointing his spear. — Image caption,
Spartan soldiers wore red cloaks, so bloodstains wouldn't show up. They also grew their hair long and would comb it before going into battle.

The Spartans were expert soldiers and believed that a tough upbringing made the best soldiers.
Boys left their families at seven to begin their 23-year-long training to become a soldier.
It was a hard life. A boy was only allowed one tunic and had to walk everywhere barefoot, even in cold weather.
Girls weren't allowed to be soldiers, but they did compete against the boys at sport.
Spartan women also had more freedom than other Greek women. For example, they could run the family farm.

What were Greek warships like?

A replica ancient Athenian warship trireme with volunteer British crew manning oars. — Image caption,
A replica of an Athenian trireme warship at sea

Greek warships had oars as well as sails. The largest Greek warships had three banks of oars and were called triremes.
A trireme needed 170 men to row it - one man to each oar. Fixed to the front of the trireme was a sharp metal ram.
In battle, the triremes tried to get close to the enemy ships, and if possible crash into them.
The trireme's soldiers sometimes jumped onto a damaged ship to capture it.

What were the famous battles in ancient Greece?

A small stone platform in the middle, surrounded by green bushes and trees. Behind it are big mountains covered in forests, and the sky is bright blue with white clouds. — Image caption,
A plaque commemorating the site of the Battle of Thermopylae, between the Spartans and the Persians.

One of the most famous battles was the Battle of Marathon (490 BC), when Athens beat the Persians and saved Greece from invasion.
The Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC) is remembered for the courage of 300 Spartans who stood against a much bigger Persian army.
The Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC) saw Athens and Sparta fight each other for many years, leaving Greece weaker.
Battles were not just about winning land. They showed bravery, honour and loyalty to their cities.

Think like a historian

Pink thought bubble that says Thinking Points!

Have a look at the thinking points below and think about your answer to each question. You could even write them down on a piece of paper or discuss them with somebody else if you want to.

Why do you think Greek soldiers fought in tight phalanx formation instead of each soldier fighting on their own?
How might Greek warships have helped protect their cities?
Do you think battles like Marathon changed how Greeks saw themselves? Why?