05-25-2010, 07:02 PM
I've now managed to read Adam Schwartz's Reinstating the Hoplite. In truth, I think that the hoplite's position is probably not actually so precarious as to really need "reinstating" (at least here in the USA, where Victor Hanson's high valuation of that warrior type and its phalanx - othismos and all - seems to define orthodoxy, his work having recently been taught at West Point and studies of similar opinion currently being referenced at the Army's Infantry School at Fort Benning, GA). Nonetheless, Swartz here offers a most welcome defense of the primacy these themes had in ancient Greek battle that's both vigorous and very well researched.
After some introductory material (24 pages), the book gives an in- depth (77 page) evaluation of hoplite equipment (defensive and offensive) in support of the idea that it was developed specifically to support the phalanx. This is followed by a similarly detailed review (99 pages) of the phalanx and then a discussion on the duration of hoplite battles (25 pages), concluding with a brief (9 page) summary of the author's conclusions. Among Schwartz's major contentions are: a) the phalanx existed prior to the devlopment of hoplite equipment, which was designed specifically for use in that array; b) othismos was real, a physical shoving from the entire formation that combined with weapon strikes along the front to define the offensive capability of the phalanx; c) there was very little change in the nature of phalanx warfare from its inception in the 8th century B.C. into the late 4th century B.C. Appended is an inventory of 41 battles (40 on land plus one naval action) selected from the period 490 B.C. (Marathon) to 338 B.C. (Chaironeia), each with a systematic listing of important characteristics. There is an extensive bibliography, a list of illustations (there are 19), a 14-page general index, and indices of sources (one literary and the other for inscriptions and papyri).
Schwartz is a sound wordsmith, with writing that is both clear and concise, obviously meant to embrace general readers despite the study's origins as an academic dissertation. For the most part, he maintains a reasoned, patient tone, which makes his well mounted arguments all the more convincing, though he still offers the occasional brief burst of passion on a given subject that lets the reader know that heart as well as head are in this subject. One feature Schwartz offers for which I am most grateful is an English translation to accompany every major quote (and most minor ones as well) from German, Latin, or Greek sources, as this is something most works of such academic bent don't usually bother to provide those of us who are language-challenged.
One weakness of the work (not of the author) is that it apprently went to the publisher early in 2007 (a single entry that year being the latest reference dated), thus it couldn't include information from Paul Bardunias' ground-breaking article on the aspis and othismos published in Ancient Warfare later that year (Oct.). This is a real pity, since Paul's concepts would have greatly bolstered Swartz's positions regarding othismos on several fronts. Instead, he employs the side-on stance, shoulder-first, muscular concept of othismos offered previously by Hanson and others (myself included). Thus, while the overwhelming literary and logical support for a real, physical othismos is established here in effective arguments against its detractors, the 'smoking gun' mechanism that Paul's work provides is lacking. To take an analog from my old field of geology, Swartz is very much in a position like the proponents of continental drift prior to the discovery of the sea floor spreading mechanism that proved it was true.
Another weakness stems from what is otherwise a strength - strong academic roots. While this gives access to a great deal of vital data, it tends to ignore information from other, more popular sources. Thus, there is no reference here to many works published by Osprey and others for a more general readership, which contain unique and very valuable information relative to issues being discussed. On a similar note, there is such a strong focus on information about classical Greek warfare (the obvious subject of the original academic dissertation) that vital supporting information on other topics is weak. As a result, some conclusions presented about the nature of Macedonian warfare are (in my opinion) quite wrong (lacking reference to key research from folks like Waldemar Heckel and Nick Secunda among others in popular publications) and his concept of Persian warfare is likewise vague and incomplete (Nick Secunda's popular-edition works on this subject would have been of great use here). Since conclusions are drawn relative to hoplites from their performance against these differing military systems, it was important to have had a better grasp of their true attributes.
Overall, I think this book offers an excellent introduction to anyone not particularly familiar with hoplite battle, while at the same time providing a considerable wealth of detail that should inform even very deeply steeped devotees. However, as I feel that Hanson's The Western Way of War provides an even better intro at much, much lower cost, I can wholeheartedly recommend Reinstating the Hoplite for personal aquisition only to the truly serious student of hoplite warfare with a rather hefty bank account.
After some introductory material (24 pages), the book gives an in- depth (77 page) evaluation of hoplite equipment (defensive and offensive) in support of the idea that it was developed specifically to support the phalanx. This is followed by a similarly detailed review (99 pages) of the phalanx and then a discussion on the duration of hoplite battles (25 pages), concluding with a brief (9 page) summary of the author's conclusions. Among Schwartz's major contentions are: a) the phalanx existed prior to the devlopment of hoplite equipment, which was designed specifically for use in that array; b) othismos was real, a physical shoving from the entire formation that combined with weapon strikes along the front to define the offensive capability of the phalanx; c) there was very little change in the nature of phalanx warfare from its inception in the 8th century B.C. into the late 4th century B.C. Appended is an inventory of 41 battles (40 on land plus one naval action) selected from the period 490 B.C. (Marathon) to 338 B.C. (Chaironeia), each with a systematic listing of important characteristics. There is an extensive bibliography, a list of illustations (there are 19), a 14-page general index, and indices of sources (one literary and the other for inscriptions and papyri).
Schwartz is a sound wordsmith, with writing that is both clear and concise, obviously meant to embrace general readers despite the study's origins as an academic dissertation. For the most part, he maintains a reasoned, patient tone, which makes his well mounted arguments all the more convincing, though he still offers the occasional brief burst of passion on a given subject that lets the reader know that heart as well as head are in this subject. One feature Schwartz offers for which I am most grateful is an English translation to accompany every major quote (and most minor ones as well) from German, Latin, or Greek sources, as this is something most works of such academic bent don't usually bother to provide those of us who are language-challenged.
One weakness of the work (not of the author) is that it apprently went to the publisher early in 2007 (a single entry that year being the latest reference dated), thus it couldn't include information from Paul Bardunias' ground-breaking article on the aspis and othismos published in Ancient Warfare later that year (Oct.). This is a real pity, since Paul's concepts would have greatly bolstered Swartz's positions regarding othismos on several fronts. Instead, he employs the side-on stance, shoulder-first, muscular concept of othismos offered previously by Hanson and others (myself included). Thus, while the overwhelming literary and logical support for a real, physical othismos is established here in effective arguments against its detractors, the 'smoking gun' mechanism that Paul's work provides is lacking. To take an analog from my old field of geology, Swartz is very much in a position like the proponents of continental drift prior to the discovery of the sea floor spreading mechanism that proved it was true.
Another weakness stems from what is otherwise a strength - strong academic roots. While this gives access to a great deal of vital data, it tends to ignore information from other, more popular sources. Thus, there is no reference here to many works published by Osprey and others for a more general readership, which contain unique and very valuable information relative to issues being discussed. On a similar note, there is such a strong focus on information about classical Greek warfare (the obvious subject of the original academic dissertation) that vital supporting information on other topics is weak. As a result, some conclusions presented about the nature of Macedonian warfare are (in my opinion) quite wrong (lacking reference to key research from folks like Waldemar Heckel and Nick Secunda among others in popular publications) and his concept of Persian warfare is likewise vague and incomplete (Nick Secunda's popular-edition works on this subject would have been of great use here). Since conclusions are drawn relative to hoplites from their performance against these differing military systems, it was important to have had a better grasp of their true attributes.
Overall, I think this book offers an excellent introduction to anyone not particularly familiar with hoplite battle, while at the same time providing a considerable wealth of detail that should inform even very deeply steeped devotees. However, as I feel that Hanson's The Western Way of War provides an even better intro at much, much lower cost, I can wholeheartedly recommend Reinstating the Hoplite for personal aquisition only to the truly serious student of hoplite warfare with a rather hefty bank account.
It\'s only by appreciating accurate accounts of real combat past and present that we can begin to approach the Greek hoplite\'s hard-won awareness of war\'s potential merits and ultimate limitations.
- Fred Eugene Ray (aka "Old Husker")
- Fred Eugene Ray (aka "Old Husker")
