Greek Warfare: The Greek Army
“The mainstay of any Greek army was the hoplite.” (Greek Warfare) Greek hoplites carried a long spear, short sword, and circular bronze shield. His armor included a bronze helmet, bronze breastplate, greaves for the legs and finally, ankle guards.
Greek armies were spilt into separate units with ladders of command. The lochoi was the basic division of the phalanx. A lochoi was made up of a line of well-armed and well-armoured hoplite warriors typically eight to twelve men deep which fought as a tight group. In Athens the lochos was led by a captain or lochagos and these combined to form one of ten regiments each led by a taxiarchos. In 5th century Sparta the basic element was the enomotiai or platoon of 32 men. Four of these made up a pentekostys
or company of 128 men. Four of these made up a lochos or regiment of 512 men. A Spartan army usually consisted of five lochoi. Units might also be divided by age or specialty in weaponry and, as warfare became more strategic, these units would operate more independently, responding to trumpet calls or other such signals mid-battle.
Greek armies were spilt into separate units with ladders of command. The lochoi was the basic division of the phalanx. A lochoi was made up of a line of well-armed and well-armoured hoplite warriors typically eight to twelve men deep which fought as a tight group. In Athens the lochos was led by a captain or lochagos and these combined to form one of ten regiments each led by a taxiarchos. In 5th century Sparta the basic element was the enomotiai or platoon of 32 men. Four of these made up a pentekostys
or company of 128 men. Four of these made up a lochos or regiment of 512 men. A Spartan army usually consisted of five lochoi. Units might also be divided by age or specialty in weaponry and, as warfare became more strategic, these units would operate more independently, responding to trumpet calls or other such signals mid-battle.