specifics in Spear fighting combat

[Paullus Scipio]

Sean wrote:-

Paulus, do we really have any descriptions of collective hoplite training before the late fourth century?

Well, working backward from the 'Ephebic' reforms c.335 BC for Athens in Alexander's time, so far as major sources go we have some references in Aristotle (floreat c 350-320.), then Xenophon, our main source for matters military concerning Hoplites (floreat c 411-362 ) and Plato's 'Laches' (floreat c.428-348 BC), then Thucydides for the Peloponnesian War ( describes 479- 410, abruptly breaking off and leaving the last 6 years, probably because he died) and Herodotus, "The Father of History" who tells us of the Persian Wars (490-479 BC ) but little about training beyond that we are into the pre-Hoplite era, with the possible exception of the poet Tyrtaeus...so most of our information is concentrated in the period 450-350 BC roughly....