specifics in Spear fighting combat

[PMBardunias]

I have been looking for articles or books detailing specific fighting techniques for an ancient greek hoplite.

Opinion over the utility of Hoplomachia was divided in the ancient world. Xenophon, probably expressing the spartan tradition, thought such martial arts training useless, because hitting with a sword is as natural as striking with your hand. Sparta was notoriously unreceptive to teachers of hoplomachia.

Some of the success of the Thebans was attributed to their skill as wrestlers. This has led modern authors to conjecture all sorts of leg-sweeps and joint locks that could be used in a phalanx clash. Greek wrestlers did a lot of pushing, so I think we need look no further than the sense of balance and weight distribution wrestling brings.

Hoplomachia was thought useful after a battle had been lost. In the chaos of pursuit you might find yourself in single combat where such skills could be brought to bear. This may be why Spartans had no use for it.

You have already mentioned the major targets- neck, thigh, also foot, probably under the right arm, the arm itself, and face, especially with later helmets.

The swords themselves tell us how they were used. They could stab, but they were point-heavy for choppping and the force is derived mainly from a wrist-flick, like the modern Kukri or Ghurka fame, for there is little room in a phalanx to swing the arm. Smaller Laconian daggers were probably best in the press and could be stabbed overhand, palm away, into neck, face and underarm.

Spears, in formation, were always used overhand, but presumably they used them also underhand in loose order as we see on many vases on one on one combat.

You probably had a chance for a few good spear strikes as the phalanxes tightened together, but once in othismos you mosty struck blind into the enemy ranks. If your spear broke, you turned the spear and brought the sauroter to bear- palm away from your face. Stabbing with is could be quite effective, and I'd hate to just get clubbed with one. In this phase the overall disruption of the enemy formation was more important than striking killing blows.

I have at least one paper on greek foorwork that might be useful to you if you email me. A friend of mine runs an SCA group based on spartans that might interest you:

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/Sp ... d=37441076

Oh, and you need to use your real name as Giannis said.