The Fighting Spartans

3/5/20
The Fighting Spartans
  • Greeks were certainly a warlike people - especially the Spartans
  • Spartans were known for their tough, ruthless infantry: soldiers who fought on land
  • Spartan boys trained from the time they were seven 
Athens -naval power
  • Athens had a great infantry, too, but nothing could compare with their navy
  • their most effective weapon was the trireme boat
Trireme
  • a technological marvel
  • fastest ship in the world at the time
  • rowed by up to 170 men on three levels
  • could be used as a battering ram
  • agile, fast
The phalanx
  • close-rank, dense grouping of warriors
  • armed with long spears and interlocking shields
  • soldiers would advance slowly toward the enemy, until they broke through their ranks
Persian empire vs. Greece
  • Persian empire = big
  • Greece = small
  • Persian empire should win
Greek Army
  • iron weapons meant ordinary citizens could afford to arm themselves
  • foot soldiers (hoplites) trained from an early age
  • armed with spears, swords, shields
  • often fought in phalanx formation
  • “home field” advantage
  • motivated to preserve democracy
Persian Army
  • first archers (do damage from a distance)
  • then cavalry (they disrupt communication between generals and soldiers)
  • then lightly armored infantry (carried spear, sword, and bow)
  • huge numbers
  • long way from home
  • professional army (soldiers for hire, or mercenaries)

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