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Greek Hoplite Phalanx

Type Object Region Greece Time c. -498–-300

A dense phalanx tactic of hoplites in ancient Greek city-states, with 8–12 ranks, interlocked shields and spear thrusts, becoming the most representa…

Timeline

  1. c. -498–-480Mainland Greece · GreeceEach city-state centered on citizen hoplites, forming dense shield walls and spear arrays that laid the tactical foundation for resisting the Persian invasion.
  2. -490–-479Marathon and Plataea · AtticaAt Marathon, Thermopylae and Plataea, the Greek phalanx defeated Persian armies through discipline and terrain, becoming the core tactic of the Greco-Persian Wars.
  3. -431–-404Peloponnesian Peninsula · PeloponneseAthens and Sparta faced each other in phalanx for a long period, during which tactical innovations such as flank maneuvers, the oblique order and coordination with light troops emerged in large numbers.

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