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Essex 25mm Later Hoplite Greeks

Later Hoplite Greek
(450 BC- 275 BC)
DBA #32

By Stephen Montague

Notable events | Enemies | Army list | Painting Guide | Shield Patterns | Tactics | Rules Modifications

I am not doing a history. There are three reasons for this:- 1) I am being lazy, 2) there are plenty of books available on the subject, 3) it is to complicated a subject to compress into such a small space. However I offer instead the following background notes and selected military highlights(?)

The history of Greece during the period covered by the army list can be split into pre and post Macedonia. The Macedonian period starts after the battle of Chaironeia 338 BC, which effectively ended the independence of Athens and most of the rest of Greece. Prior to this Greece was made up of many city states which tended to squabble like spoilt children. These city states often formed into leagues the membership of which changed frequently. These leagues would often become little more than the play thing of the most powerful members and they weren't averse to making states join by force if it suited there purpose. The main leagues were the Pelopennesian dominated by Sparta and the Delian dominated by Athens.

Another major influence on Greece at this period was the Persian empire. After having failed to conquer Greece, Persia settled down to keeping the Greeks fighting each other (not that they needed much encouragement) by supplying funds and bribing politicians. Persia's aim was to make sure no Greek state became strong enough to be a threat.

After the Macedonians had conquered most of Greece, leaving Sparta as the only major city state, new leagues appeared. Unlike the previous ones these worked to the benefit of the members. Of these only the Aitolian league and the Rhodian federation were important during the period covered by the list.

One other important point to note about the Greek's during this period was the way they spread colonies around the western Mediterranean sea. There were colonies in Sicily, Italy, southern France and Spain. These were independent offshoots of the parent cities.

Notable events

The following is a list of military events which may of interest:

• The great Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC) -- Sparta and allies against Athens and allies. Sparta won, though the war left both states exhausted. Of interest are the battle of Sphacteria (425 BC) in which the previously unbeatable Spartan hoplites were defeated by light infantry. The siege of Syracuse (415 BC - 413 BC); an Athenian attempt to expand which failed disastrously. The crudity of siege operations is a most notable feature.

• Xenophon and the March of Ten Thousand (401-400 BC) -- A failed attempt to take over the Persian empire left ten thousand mercenaries stranded in the centre of Persia facing a emperor who would like to destroy them. They fought their way to the Black sea to the Greek colonies there to get ships home.

• Thebes rise to power (371-362 BC) -- Thebes temporarily became a force to be reckoned with thanks to its great general Epimonodas. He won two battles with the Spartans by using very deep formations on his left flank and echeloned the rest of his forces back from these. This exploited the right hand drift that happened to Hoplite armies.

• The Sacred War (circa 350 BC) -- Phokis, a small and impoverished country, fought with Philip of Macedon. To raise a large army they took the treasures from the temple of Apollo at Delphi to pay for it; hence the name of this war. If your wargames army represents these guys then don't be surprised if you have bad luck as their sacrilege got them cursed by the gods. The main thing of note in this war was the Phokians' successful use of artillery to ambush Philip's army.

• Macedonian Expansion (354-338 BC) -- Philip of Macedon with his new army gradually takes over Greece north and east of the Peloponnese including the once mighty Athens.

• The Lamian War (323-322 BC) -- Upon hearing of Alexander's Death, the Greek states staged an unsuccessful revolt against Macedonian rule.

• Galatian Invasion (279 BC) -- This was pretty much a large raid aimed at Delphi. The Galatians failed to reach Delphi and suffered a heavy defeat.

Enemies

Illyrian (26), Thracian (27), Later Hoplite Greek (32), Later Archaemenid Persian (33), Alexandrian Macedonian (36), and Macedonian Early Successor (40)

Since the defenders of Delphi against the Galatians were from mostly from Aitolia and Phokis (who are covered by this list) the Galatians (45) should also be added to the list.

This list represents main land Greece, however it can also be taken to represent the Greek colonies in Italy, Anatolia and Spain. The following I am sure fought the Greek colonies: Samnite or Umbrian (30c), Campanian or Apulian (30d), Syracusan (34) and Camillan Roman (46a). The following are more speculative based upon the Greeks having colonies in their territories: Gallic (35) and Ancient Spanish (52)

Army list

The following lists for specific states are based upon the DBM army list plus research. Hence the following elements chosen because information about the poor economic state of the country make them more likely, Aitolian and Phokian LH elements.

• Aitolian -- 1 x 2Lh, 4 x 4Sp, 7 x 2Ps

• Phokian -- 1 x 2Lh, 1 x Art, 4 x 4Sp, 6 x 2Ps

• Spartan -- 1 x 3Cv, 9 x 4Sp, 2 x 2Ps

• Theban -- 2 x 3Cv, 9 x 4Sp, 1 x 2Ps

• Thessalian -- 1 x 2Lh, 1 x 3Cv, 9 x 4Sp, 1 x 2Ps

Notes:

Some Hoplites will be mercenaries.

In any list except Sparta's 1x3/4Aux can be substituted for a Spear element.

Only Phokis is allowed Artillery and then only after 379 BC.

The above is based upon the Greek mainland. For the colonies I would suggest using the list in the rules and taking 8xSp. Depending on what the locals can provide, the one or two of the following types elements can be made up of native troops or Greek mercenaries: Spears, Cavalry, LH, Aux, or Ps.

Painting Guide

Hoplites -- White Armour with pteruges henging down to protect the thighs. During the early part of the period covered the body of the armour could have scale armour on it. Bronze helmets and grieves. Tunics white, red, brown, grey, black, green, yellow possibly with a coloured band at the edge. Shields were bronze but could be painted. All would be decorated with shield patterns.

Peltasts -- Bronze helmets. Tunic as above. Shield crescent shaped or round. Made out of wicker and sometimes left uncovered, most would be covered. Could be covered with goat, sheepskin or polished bronze and decorated.

Thureophoros -- As Peltasts, but with theureos shield, rather than pelte or hoplon.

Archers and Slingers -- Tunic without sleeves, possibly white for the archers but more likely the usual tunic colours. Some slingers and archers will have small round shield. Shield may have boss or may be flat. Many wore wide-brimmed hats.

Javelinmen -- As archers and slingers but poorer, so paint tunics in greys, browns and off white. All carried small round or crescent shaped shields.

Greek Heavy Cavalry -- Bronze armour and helmet. Tunics in the usual colours but given that these represented the richer citizens white would be more likely. Shields were only adopted for cavalry use at the very end of the period covered by this list, these would be Hoplite style round shields.

Greek Light Cavalry -- May have bronze helmet a hat or be bare headed. Wears the sleeveless tunic. Adopted shields at same time as heavies.

Shield patterns

The Greeks had several characteristic shield types which usually gave their name to their users.

The Hoplite's hoplon shields could be painted or left in their natural bronze. White was used in Argos and common elsewhere. Purple was also used other colours would undoubtedly have been used. Sparta always used burnished Bronze. On this background would be painted patterns. These could be Greek letters or geometric patterns. More complex designs were also used depicting animals, animal or human heads, mythological subjects, garlands, eyes and vases. Typical subjects included lions, bulls, Herakles, snakes, woman's head, Gorgon's head, or an eagle.

During the fifth century several states adopted uniform shield blazons and some mercenary units may also have had uniform shields.

Peltasts bore the Pelte, or crescent shaped shield, which probably originated in Thrace. The exact amount of curvature varied, giving the pelte a shape ranging from a boat hull to almost completely circular. These were made of wicker and sometimes this was left uncovered. If it was covered it could be thin bronze but more usually in goat or sheep skin. It could also be decorated with simple faces, geometric patterns, stars or human figures.

Thureos would have been plain and painted white or a pale colour.

Small round shields were popular with the light infantry. Their construction was like that of the Pelte, but some had a metal boss. Cretan archers probably carried them and some of these were covered in bronze. The javalinmen who represented the majority of light infantry came from the poorest sections of society, therefore their shields would be plainer than that.

Tactics

This depends on which version of the army you have, the hoplite or the light infantry-heavy one. If you have the former it will have at least eight elements of spears. In this case you line your army up facing the enemy, march forward and grind anything that gets in your way into the dust. No spear elements should be used for flank guards. Note if this army is being used against other spear or blade based armies, then expect a long shoving match when they meet.

If you are using at least five Ps and if you get to chose terrain, put as much bad going in the centre as you can. If you do that it guarantees you will have some bad going between you and your opponent no matter which side you deploy on. When you deploy, put your Hoplites opposite the gaps in the bad going and your Ps opposite the bad going. Then advance as quickly as possible so your Sp can take on anything coming through the gaps while your Ps fight any enemy in the bad going or swing around through the bad going onto the flanks of enemy troops moving through the gaps.

Rules modifications

The following are some suggestions for rules that reflect the events of the period.

• Spartan Hoplites -- Spartiates were trained from childhood in the military arts and were therefore excellent soldiers. They should get a +1 tactical factor. The effect of the training was to give the Spartans a reputation for invincibility. I would suggest that for games in the period before the end of the Peloponnesian war or if you are feeling less generous before the battle of Sphacteria, anyone fighting Spartan hoplites gets -1 tactical factor instead of the Spartans getting +1.

• Theban deep formations -- For the Theban armies ofthe Epimonodas period allow the two left most elements of Theban spears to be deployed two ranks deep. No other Spears may deploy in two ranks. These double depth elements receive a +2 tactical factor reflecting the effect of the unusually deep formations.

• Sieges -- Until 399 BC the standard method for conducting a siege was pretty much to sit in front of your opponent's walls and wait for him to give up. Not surprisingly, sieges tended to go on along time. To reflect this in campaign games, modify the siege rules as follows: The attacker rolls his dice. If it is a six, he rolls it again. If it is another six, he takes the city. If he fails he doesn't lose an element. The score needed to capture never changes. I think giving a besieging player a one in thirty six chance of taking a city is being optimistic.

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Last Updated: October 26, 1999

My thanks to Stephen Montague for another excellent army essay. Questions, comments, suggestions welcome. Send them to Chris Brantley, brant@erols.com.