Hippeis, not Hippies

[hoplite14gr]

There seems to be a diffculry maintaining a large unit of Heavy infantry in the Archaic period.

300 seem to be within the means of every city state. Arcaic Mycunae seem to have only 80.

5000 elite hoplites in Argos were an aberation when Pheidon forced the aristokrats to foot the bill

5000 eparitoi in Arkadia were the eliteo of the whole Arkadian Koinon (comonwealth).
Some "Koina" were poor like the Phokians who fileded only 500


The 300 Spartan hippeis were mostly "tradition keepers"
The 5000 Homioi were probably a way to counter Pheidons epilektoi after the brutal lesson of Hyssiai 670 B.C.

Kind regards