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A Storm of Spears: Understanding the Greek Hoplite in Action Paperback – January 12, 2022

by Christopher Matthew (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 135 ratings
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The backbone of classical Greek armies was the phalanx of heavily armored spearmen, or hoplites. These were the soldiers that defied the might of Persia at Marathon, Thermopylae and Plataea and, more often, fought each other in the countless battles of the Greek city-states. For around two centuries they were the dominant soldiers of the Classical world, in great demand as mercenaries throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East. Yet, despite the battle descriptions of Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon etc, and copious evidence of Greek art and archaeology, there are still many aspects of hoplite warfare that are little understood or the subject of fierce academic debate.

Christopher Matthew's groundbreaking reassessment combines rigorous analysis of the literary and archaeological evidence with the new disciplines of reconstructive archaeology, re-enactment and ballistic science. He focuses meticulously on the details of the equipment, tactics and capabilities of the individual hoplites. In so doing he challenges some long-established assumptions. For example, despite a couple of centuries of study of the hoplites portrayed in Greek vase paintings, Matthew manages to glean from them some startlingly fresh insights into how hoplites wielded their spears.

These findings are supported by practical testing with his own replica hoplite panoply and the experiences of a group of dedicated re-enactors. He also tackles such questions as the protective properties of hoplite shields and armor and the much-vexed debate on the exact nature of the 'othismos', the climax of phalanx-on-phalanx clashes. This is an innovative and refreshing reassessment of one of the most important kinds of troops in ancient warfare, sure to make a genuine contribution to the state of knowledge.

Christopher Matthew has just completed his doctoral thesis on hoplite warfare at MacQuarie University in Sydney, where one of his assessors has said he 'singlehandedly advanced the whole field'. He has also been invited to lecture on the subject at other Australian universities. This book, closely based on his doctoral thesis, will be his first, although he has already had several articles published in academic journals. He is currently working on a new translation of Aelian's work on tactics and co-editing (with Dr Matthew Trundle) Beyond the Gates of Fire: New Perspectives on the Battle of Thermopylae, both of which will be published by Pen & Sword.

Table of Contents

Acknowlegdements
List of Illustrations
List of Tables
List of Plates
Abbreviations
Foreword
Preface

1. Hoplite Spear
2. Wielding the Hoplite Spear
3. Spears, Javelins and the Hoplite in Greek Art
4. Bearing the Hoplite Panoply
5. Repositioning the Spear in "Hoplite Drill"
6. The Reach and Trajectory of Attacks amde with the Hoplite Spear
7. The "Kill Shot" of Hoplite Combat
8. Endurance and Accuracy when Fighting with the Hoplite Spear
9. The Penetration Power of the Hoplite Spear
10. The Use of the Sauroter as a Weapon
11. Conclusion: The Individual Hoplite
12. Phalanxes, Shield Walls and Other Formations
13. The Hoplite Battle: Contact, Othismos, Breakthrough and Rout
14. Conclusion: The Nature of Hoplite Cpmbat

Notes
Bibliography
Index
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    360 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Casemate
  4. Publication date
    January 12, 2022
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 1.25 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1636241336
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1636241333
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“…groundbreaking reassessment combines rigorous analysis of literary and archaeological evidence with the new disciplines of reconstructive archaeology, reenactment and ballistic science…painstakingly examines and reconstructs details of hoplites’ equipment, tactics and capabilities…Both experts and laymen can gain fresh knowledge from reading this well written analysis of ancient warfare…”
Toy Solder & Model Figure

"…indispensable reading for anyone interested in ancient warfare."
The NYMAS Review

"...practical and thought provoking...a well-argued, well-written and well-illustrated chance to think about the problem anew."
The Historian

"a significant contribution to the field of ancient military history...will force historians to re-evaluate the pertinent primary sources and their own reconstructions of the equipment and tactics employed on ancient Greek battlefields. A Storm of Spears is now must reading for all military historians, classicists, and serious students interested in a reconstructive archaeological approach to ancient infantry warfare"
Michigan War Studies Review

About the Author

Christopher Matthew has just completed his doctoral thesis on hoplite warfare at MacQuarie University in Sydney, where one of his assessors has said he 'singlehandedly advanced the whole field'. He has also been invited to lecture on the subject at other Australian universities. This book, closely based on his doctoral thesis, will be his first, although he has already had several articles published in academic journals. 'He is currently working on a new translation of Aelian's work on tactics and co-editing (with Dr Matthew Trundle) Beyond the Gates of Fire: New Perspectives on the Battle of Thermopylae, both of which will be published by Pen & Sword.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Casemate (January 12, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 360 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1636241336
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1636241333
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.27 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.25 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 135 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
135 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

John Stults
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting read
Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2017
Verified Purchase
A very technical, detailed look at hoplite warfare. The author used literature, archeology, art, reenactments, and technical analysis to verify hoplite warfare. The work reminds me of technical (engineering) literature I read in college. As some have mentioned, he did compare (criticise) the work of other scholars when his analysis differed from their "standard". I did not find this excessive and I have read many of the works he referred to and I think a lot of the works had a different purpose than his highly technical analysis. This is not a light read (though it is well written and one can actually get thru the book fairly quickly) but if you are looking for a casual read this book is not it. It does provide a highly detailed account of the nuts and bolts of hoplite warfare to include holding the spear, soldier stance, energy delivered by a spear thrust, etc.
The author provides detailed footnotes, and an extensive bibliography as well as tables and plates detailing much of what he presents. What I did not like (though this would not effect a hard copy of the book) is that these are nearly unusable in the kindle version--checking a footnote or looking at a plate became really tedious (mainly getting back to your place in the original work). I cannot recommend the kindle version though the hard copy version would be fine. Overall I enjoyed the work and if you are interested in the details this is for you.
One person found this helpful
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Thomas Reiter
4.0 out of 5 stars Nuts and Bolts
Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2017
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This is a very interesting, if highly technical discussion of the nuts and bolts of hoplite-era warfare--how did Greek soldiers grip their spear, what different stances did they use, what did their formations look like, etc. While I won't get into the details regarding the author's conclusions, I would summarize that he relies on an effective mix of analysis of literary and artistic sources, modern re-enactors, and military experience to come up with some original, and very convincing, arguments about why our previous understanding of hoplite warfare is hopelessly wrong. The book also includes many helpful diagrams, pictures, etc. to explain his arguments.

I have subtracted a star, however, because while the author has made a very compelling set of arguments for his positions, I'm not sure that he has "closed the book" on these issues. In discussing the positions taken by previous scholars, he explains what their position is, but then almost universally dismisses their positions as completely illogical and impossible--basically, instead of saying something like "this is how things probably worked" or "it seems like this is how it worked", on every issue he says something to the effect of "this is how it worked, everyone who says otherwise is obviously an idiot." While he might well be right, I would be interested in seeing rebuttals from some of the other scholars cited in his work.

Also, while reliance on modern re-enactors is a helpful exercise, personally I would give their experiences limited weight--the fact is that the conditioning, training, and overall mentality of the ancient hoplites might have differed significantly from those of the dentists, accountants, etc. making up the re-enactors. As an example, I wonder what some re-enactors would come up with in the year 4000 if they were asked to figure out how a game of American football played out if all they had was a couple of helmets and shoulderpads and remnants of a Sports Illustrated article or two. I'm pretty sure that whatever they came up with would look nothing like an actual game....

In any event, this book is highly recommended reading for anyone with a keen interest in the nuts and bolts of hoplite warfare, but not for someone looking for a typical military history.
2 people found this helpful
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riggthis
5.0 out of 5 stars In Depth
Reviewed in the United States on November 8, 2023
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Excellent book, nice details and history. Fully enjoying this.
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E.P. McLean
3.0 out of 5 stars Scientific investigation of Classic hoplite warfare
Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2017
Verified Purchase
The author is a strong academic. This is a well researched work that does a good job of examining how hoplite warfare was conducted by the ancient Greek soldier. However, it suffers from a common problem of academic writers. He can't write. The early text about the weapons suffers from the academic desire to cover all available facts. The result is a blotted work full of information that distracts the reader rather then informs. Much of the detail of charts and measurements should have been summarized with the details in footnotes or appendicitis. The later section on tactics is better, but burdened by the academic desire to use ten dollar words wherever possible. Sometimes specific words are necessary, but sometimes academics feel pressure to sound scholarly. If you can claw your way through the text it contains a good consideration of the subject.
7 people found this helpful
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Gaius Calpernius Piso
5.0 out of 5 stars A Fresh Look on an Ancient Subject
Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2022
Verified Purchase
This is a thorough review of Hoplite warfare from top to bottom, from theory to practice, from scholarly to highly technical. By blending modern scholarship, the writings of the ancients, and actual field tests of equipment and formations, this author dispels some myths about Hoplite warfare and gets us closer to the truth. Recommended for scholars and wargamers alike.
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Chris
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on January 22, 2017
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Well written book that has gone into in-depth detail on ancient Greek warfare.
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Patrizia Tombola
5.0 out of 5 stars Un notevole studio militare
Reviewed in Italy on February 3, 2017
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Un libro che tratta aspetti che un lettore di storia militare forse non considera. Si da per scontato che la falange sia il normale modo di combattere degli eserciti greci, ma nessuno ha mai spiegato "come " funzionava in pratica. Come si muoveva, la posizione dei singoli soldati, come combattevano veramente( ad esempio cosa servivano le file dalla quattro in poi che non vedevano neanche il nemico?) e molti altri aspetti del soldato greco in formazione.
One person found this helpful
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Roland N.
5.0 out of 5 stars A must for ancient military historians, wargamers and modellers.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 20, 2016
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An academic book but well worth the read for those interested in Greek hoplite warfare. For me it successfully challenged all the previous 40 years of literature I have read on how the Greek phalanx moved and fought. It also makes you think about all long spear and shield armed infantry throughout history.
3 people found this helpful
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Green River
3.0 out of 5 stars Very helpful and redundant
Reviewed in Canada on May 9, 2014
Verified Purchase
I have always been confused about how the hoplites fought. This book gave me a clear idea. The evidence and explanation are convincing. However, this book is also redundant, same words spoken again, again and again. I believe this book can be reduced at least 50%.
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R martin
5.0 out of 5 stars Superb, but heavy going
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 15, 2014
Verified Purchase
A superb appraisal of Hoplite warfare, meticulously researched, based on ancient sources and modern reconstruction. Being an accademic work this is somewhat heavy going. Having witnessed several hundred dark age re-enactors fighting in shield walls I believe Mr Mathews conclusions are valid: the Hoplites fought at spear point distance, probably wielding their spears underarm. Highly Recommended; similar treatments on Hellenistic pike and Roman legions would complete the story.
5 people found this helpful
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