SPARTAN WARFARE
Sparta specialized in land conflict, and it was considered widely as the best and leading force of the Greek army. Such was the reputation of the Spartans army that scholars and tacticians in the present day still keenly study the battles and training methods of this army in universities and military academies around the world.
The Spartan army developed quickly during the Bronze Age, as constant attacks from the Balkans and surrounding countries called for better military tactics and fighting standards. Soon gone were the days of individual glory hunters, quickly replaced by a formidable army which worked with military precision. All soldiers adorned the traditional Spartan warrior uniform instead of customized armor and the Greek letter lambda on their shield, referring to their homeland Lacedaemonia. The standard Spartan armor was a bronze breastplate, crafted to exaggerate muscularity, a helmet with a traditional red plume, as well as shin and forearm armor. They carried a wood and bronze shield called an 'aspis' or 'hoplon'. It protected the warrior from chin to knee, and required great strength to lift and wield. The hoplites also wore a scarlet cape to represent them as soldiers of Sparta, but this was never worn in combat as it rapidly became a disadvantage in a battle situation. In Spartan military culture, refusing to fight or to throw away your shield was a sign of cowardice and was greatly looked down on. Any individual who ran from a battle was shunned upon return and often punished severely or removed from the army entirely, which was seen as a greater punishment than even death. A common saying in Sparta was 'with your shield or on it'. This was referring to the Spartan burial custom of soldiers to be carried home from the battlefield upon their shields to signify they died fighting for the Spartan name. This saying symbolized the Spartans fierce loyalty and obsession with honor and victory. Spartan warriors also carried a long spear and short sword as their primary weapons, often accompanied with a dagger or another smaller secondary weapon. |