03-07-2009, 01:55 AM
In considering the purpose/use of a particular piece of armour - body armour in this instance - we should recognise that as with modern tank armour, 'protection' isn't the only factor....there is weight, mobility, heat, fatigue, cost,available materials etc. all inter-linked....
In particular, for a Hoplite, his primary protection is his shield, augmented by helmet above and (for at least front rankers?) greaves below. Thus equipped cap-a-pied ( head-to-foot), to borrow a mediaeval term, he is fit to stand in the line and even in the front rank. Body armour is definitely secondary,( as evidenced by the fact that some/many did not wear it, throughout the 'Hoplite era') and need not be 'weapon proof', and other factors will tend to pre-dominate. It is because there is always a 'trade-off' that no Greek defence was 'weapon-proof', as anecdotal evidence from Xenophon of Carduchi bows penetrating first a Spartan Hoplite's shield, then Tube-and-Yoke corselet ( spolas - please don't raise that old chestnut about spolas not being armour....why would Xenophon think it to be significant that the arrow penetrated it, if it were not some form of armour/protection?); or the Spartan King Agesilaus being wounded 'through his armour' etc, etc.
This anecdotal evidence is supported by modern studies such as Blyth's thesis "Effectiveness of Greek Armour against Persian Arrows"....
In particular, for a Hoplite, his primary protection is his shield, augmented by helmet above and (for at least front rankers?) greaves below. Thus equipped cap-a-pied ( head-to-foot), to borrow a mediaeval term, he is fit to stand in the line and even in the front rank. Body armour is definitely secondary,( as evidenced by the fact that some/many did not wear it, throughout the 'Hoplite era') and need not be 'weapon proof', and other factors will tend to pre-dominate. It is because there is always a 'trade-off' that no Greek defence was 'weapon-proof', as anecdotal evidence from Xenophon of Carduchi bows penetrating first a Spartan Hoplite's shield, then Tube-and-Yoke corselet ( spolas - please don't raise that old chestnut about spolas not being armour....why would Xenophon think it to be significant that the arrow penetrated it, if it were not some form of armour/protection?); or the Spartan King Agesilaus being wounded 'through his armour' etc, etc.
This anecdotal evidence is supported by modern studies such as Blyth's thesis "Effectiveness of Greek Armour against Persian Arrows"....
"dulce et decorum est pro patria mori " - Horace
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
