What was the army like in ancient Athens?
By far the largest component of the army was the infantry composed of hoplites, citizens fighting in a full set of armor. They went into battle protected by a helmet, breastplate, and greaves (shin guards), carrying a large round shield and long thrusting spear.
What kind of army did Athens have?
The Athenian Army was a city-state militia in which every able-bodied, adult, male citizen was obliged to serve. Men were ranked by wealth, and their service obligation reflected their resources.
Did Athens have a powerful army?
Athens as a Military Power. Athens’ army went from a late sixth-century bc count of 3,600 armored spearmen to 13,000 citizen regulars on the rolls by 431 bc. Likewise, the Athenian fleet grew from 60 to 300 ships over the same period.
Did Athens or Sparta have a stronger army?
Sparta was leader of an alliance of independent states that included most of the major land powers of the Peloponnese and central Greece, as well as the sea power Corinth. Thus, the Athenians had the stronger navy and the Spartans the stronger army.
Did Athenian slaves fight in wars?
To defeat Persia, Athens’ upperclass hoplites, “reportedly armed three hundred slaves, probably as hoplites, to fight at the battle of Marathon against the Persians” (Brown 21). During the Second Persian War, the Athenians fended off the Persians again.
How long did Athenians serve in the army?
forty-two years
Athenians were liable for military service for no fewer than forty-two years of their lives, from the age of eighteen to sixty (AP, 53, 4). Admittedly, the last ten were as reserves, but they were indeed on occasion used in the front-line.
How did Athens beat Sparta?
Athens was forced to surrender, and Sparta won the Peloponnesian War in 404 BC. Spartans terms were lenient. First, the democracy was replaced by on oligarchy of thirty Athenians, friendly to Sparta. The Delian League was shut down, and Athens was reduced to a limit of ten triremes….
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Why was Sparta’s army better than Athens?
Sparta is far superior to Athens because their army was fierce and protective, girls received some education and women had more freedom than in other poleis. These soldiers than stayed and fought until they were 60 so the army was always ready to go to war (Spielvogel, 2006).
Why are Athenians better than Spartans?
Ancient Athens, had a much more stronger basis than ancient Sparta. Sparta’s only ace was its military way of life and war tactics. Athens also had much more trading power, and controlled more land than Sparta.
How long did a war between Sparta and Athens once last?
15-year
The Great Peloponnesian War, also called the First Peloponnesian War, was the first major scuffle between them. It became a 15-year conflict between Athens and Sparta and their allies. Peace was decreed by the signing of the Thirty Years Treaty in 445 B.C., effective until 437 B.C., when the Peloponnesian War began.
Why did the Spartans fight the Athenians?
The primary causes were that Sparta feared the growing power and influence of the Athenian Empire. The Peloponnesian war began after the Persian Wars ended in 449 BCE. This disagreement led to friction and eventually outright war. Additionally, Athens and its ambitions caused increasing instability in Greece.
How did Athenians fight?
While generally armed with javelins, they sometimes had spears, slings or bows. The attendants acted as skirmishers before the pitched battle and were assigned to guard the camp during the actual fight.
What was the Athenian army like?
The mainstay of the Athenian army, like practically all Greek armies, was the heavy armed infantry soldier, the hoplite. Along with every hoplite went an attendant, a lightly armed man, either a poor citizen who could not afford a regular suit of armor (panoplia), or possibly a trusted slave.
What is the Athenian soldiers oath?
And on clearing these official requirements, they were asked to dress in the full war panoply and then utter an oath. In the case of Athens, the oath was taken in the Temple of Aglauros, and the (preserved) text is as follows – I will not disgrace my sacred arms nor desert my comrade, wherever I am stationed .
Did the Athens have an army or Navy?
During the Persian wars Athens developed a large, powerful navy in the eastern Mediterranean that destroyed the even larger Persian Navy at the Battle of Salamis.The Athenian Navy consisted of 80,000 crewing 400 ships. [citation needed] The backbone of the navy’s manpower was a core of professional rowers drawn from the lower classes of Athenian society.
Was the Athenian navy strong?
The Athenian Navy was an ancient Navy that protected and fought wars for the Athenian Empire . It was one of the smallest Navies of Ancient Gaban, yet it was big enough to be the strongest and most powerful Navy until it was defeated by an even smaller Navy called the Batese Navy.