The Myth of the \'Middle Class\' Hoplite

[Giannis K. Hoplite]

I good post Paul. However you heavily rely on late classical(after Peloponnesian War) model which you would agree it changes vastly compared with that of the beginning of the 5th century. Thucydides in the beginning of his history,when explaining the reason this was the biggest war ever, he says that until then none of the Greek city states had the number of hoplites they said or believed. It was only in this war that the poleis increased the number of their hoplites. Here's a paradox. The population of the cities decreased,but the number of hoplites increased greatly. Note,he says "hoplites" not "soldiers". The only way to do so is involve the poorer classes in the phalanx. And this is what you also demonstrated.
To defend my statement that the hoplite cass were "those who could go to the gymnasium,learn boxing,pankration,go to the Olympics", I will give some typical more modern Greek examples. My grandparents were pesants, one of them cultivated 25 acres and was also an ammature fisherman, the other cultivated about 60 acres. Both of them fed a family of about six members. They were not wealthy, but certainly not the poorer. One would call them "middle class" as this was the majority of people in the countryside. May I note that their cultivating methods had changed very little from the ancient times. No mechanical meanse until the early 70s. Work was done with oxes and horses. This didn't prevent the male members still go almost every afternoon in the "kafeneio" to talk about politics or play board games or cards with the rest. Similarly,this phenomenon was considered very odd in America of the 20's and 30's where the Greek imigrants working in the mines or railroads still gathered in the kafeneio(this behavior led to many arrests because this gathering of them was suspicious for gangs from the American authorities). In comparison,the middle class or even the poorer(like Socrates) would still spend time talking in the Stoa,or the younger in the Gymnasium and the palaistra. Certainly they wouldn't be taking private lessons of "hoplomachia" or philosophy but the common hoplite wasn't all that poor as you try to demonstrate. Do not forget that the Athenian fleet needed much more manpower than the hoplites that participated in every battle or siege. Given that in most cases these rowers were not slaves,they were indeed the lower class citizens,leaving the upper and middle classes manning the phalanx.
To sum up,I don't think the mass of the phalanx,even in late 5th century,was consisted of the lower class,but of the middle class. Middle class involving peasants who could live a reasonably well life without the risk of becoming slaves losing their property because of debts.
Khaire
Giannis

EDIT: laudes from me,too. And if you hapen to pass from these lands you both,there are still some nice places to drink beer!