Notes on Ancient Greece

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Ancient Greek Military

ANCIENT GREECE- MILITARY

FUNCTION QUESTION: What kind military technology advancement did the ancient Grecian military create/invent?

The ancient Greek military invented many revolutionary technologies, one of which is that they were the first military to use technology in the warfare and combat. For example, they invented the catapults and giant siege engines. Without these we couldn’t of have been inspired to create and advance these technologies, therefore it would demote our modern day militaries arsenal. Another idea that would impact our modern day military was formation and tactics. At around the fourth century BCE, Alexander the Great (Alexander III of Macedon), invented and used the first military formations in a battle situations. That is why he was so successful and conquered many territories. Mainly he used the Phalanx formation. The phalanx was the very first tactic. Hoplite warriors (an armoured Greek infantryman/foot soldier) would line up in rows, then clash their shields together and jab their spears facing towards the enemy, then at the sound of a flute they attack. A hoplite was equipped with a bronze helmet, a bronze and leather chest plate, shin guards, a 30 inch shield and a 8 to 10 foot spear, all of this weighed about 60 pounds.

Greece also had a great naval military. Their first ship was a Pentecounter, it had one row of fifty oarsmen. Then around 700 BCE, they made the trireme; this had three rows of men on each side making it very fast and well manoeuvrable, the ship could move at about 8 to 10 knots! The ship had one big bronze ram in the front used to ram other ships. Another strategy was to come near an enemy ship and use its oars to knockout the other ships crew.

MILITARY Ranks-

* Polemarchos- Supreme Officer

* Strategos- Generals

* Taxiarhos-Brigadier

* Syntagmatarkhis-Colonel

* Tagmatarkhis-Battalion Leader

* Lokhagos- Captain

* Hoplite-...