Ancient Greece War Facts: Learn All About Their Wonderful Warfare Tactics

Abhijeet Modi
Oct 30, 2023 By Abhijeet Modi
Originally Published on Dec 01, 2021
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Discover amazing Ancient Greece war facts such as the military styles of the soldiers were advanced for that time.

Greek wars have been famous throughout history.

There were many Ancient Greek wars but the most famous war was the Peloponnesian War. Greek mythologies are all about the bravery of the famous Greek legends who were in the field of war.

The Ancient Greeks were known to have fought many wars. The exact dates or the years of the wars are not known, but historians have made guesses. There were over 80 different wars fought by the Ancient Greeks. The uniqueness of the Greek fleet in the war fields and their war attitude is what makes them so famous today.

The creation of the Greek gods, love stories, and economic disparities were a result of the many Greek wars that happened in ancient times. However, the major wars were known to be the Peloponnesian War and the Trojan War.

Sparta remained the most powerful empire in Greek winning many different wars. Hoplites which were used were the main mantra of the Greeks during the wars.

The amazing thing to know about Ancient Greek wars is the involvement of many Greek gods too. The Greeks had wars that were even fought at sea on boats, and they used their oars and sails to evade capture and eventually win the fight.

If you liked our suggestions for Ancient Greece war facts then why not take a look at Ancient Greek sport facts, or Ancient Greek gods and goddesses facts.

Ancient Greek Warfare

Ancient Greek warfare revolved around Sparta and Athens. Both names are highly famous and are included in the most popular war games that are played by the young generation today. You might be wondering if this Ancient Greek warfare is the same as the Peloponnesian War or not?

Well, it is indeed the same. The most famous war is the Peloponnesian War which was fought between Sparta and Athens. This war is a great example of Ancient Greece warfare.

This war occurred around 431 BC to around 404 BC. The Peloponnesian War is most famous for the story of both sides having a common enemy and the soldiers fought the enemy ship with naval warfare by being on the same side. This may seem surprising for many people out there, but it is true.

Sparta and Athens fought on the same side due to foreign group invasion. The result of the war was in favor of the Greeks who won the war and conquered Persia. Many of the people today would have heard the famous name.

Alexander the Great. This famous personality is credited for the defeat of the Persian Empire and ensuring the Greeks won. Around 650 BC, the Spartan Army rose to become the dominant military land-power in the Ancient Greek world.

Greco-Persian wars, also called the Persian Wars, is one of the most famous battles of all time to have been fought around the Greek Peninsula. This series of fights in the ancient world continued for almost half a century even within the city walls.

The Persian War became intense due to the Persian fleet invading mainland Greece, establishing Persian rule. The Persian Wars were destructive according to Ancient Greek history.

The Trojan War

Everyone must have heard about the Trojan War. The Trojan War is a famous war in Greek mythology. The Trojan War happened between the city of Troy and the Achaeans. Ever heard about the famous Trojan Horse or about Helen Of Troy?

These terms might have been heard by some people because this story is very famous. The Trojan War is considered to be a myth by many people.

However, the truth is it is actually not a myth and there have been pieces of evidence and some historical resources that have proven that the war actually happened. Historical pieces of evidence like Herodotus and Eratosthenes help to prove the fact that it was a true Greek warrior.

The war started because the Paris of Troy insisted and took Helen of Troy from her husband who was known to be the King of Sparta. The King was named Menelaus.

The famous characters of the Trojan War are Achilles, Hector, Agamemnon, Hades, and Hestia. This war is a very popular story due to the story behind it and it has been mentioned in some famous Greek mythologies and even in Greek pieces of literature.

One of the most famous pieces of Greek literature which has mentioned the Trojan war is Homer’s 'Iliad'.

There are currently no specific pieces of evidence about the timing or when the war started. It is just known that the war happened during the 11th or the 12th century.

Also, the Greeks are known to be the heroes of the war who won the battle. Troy city in the modern world has become an archaeological site which is located in the country of Turkey.

Ancient Green army was called the Hellenic Army.

Military Structure And Methods In Ancient Greece

Many people might be wondering what was the military era like in Ancient Greece. What was the military strategy of the Greeks in ancient times?

The Greeks are highly famous for using the 'phalanx' which were hoplites bonded tightly together. Also, the use of shields became popular which helped the Greeks to protect themselves from the enemy’s attacks. The Ancient Greek military was called the Hellenic Army. The Greeks also had many archers and cavalry to fight in the war.

The phalanx or Athenian hoplites were the only strategies that helped the Greeks to win most of the wars. The strategy of the Athenian Fleet was very systematic which is known to be the backbone of the Ancient Greek's success.

The soldiers were also known to wear ancient mental armored plates on their shoulders and a part of it on their chests and stomach during their Athenian Expedition. Iron-tipped spears and short swords were the main fighting tools used.

To cover the legs, Ancient Greeks would use shin guards. By discovering old tools and armored plates in archaeological sites, we are able to learn about how the Greeks prepared for war.

The Economics Of Ancient Warfare

Most ancient warfare resulted in the economic captures of one region from another. Terrorism capture became the main aim when getting hands over the other territory's economy, defeating and lowering down the opponent's economy, and capturing economic resources.

This did not only prevail in the Greek region but was also happening all around the world. The weak were submissive to the powerful, leaving powerful kingdoms with every resource and wealth. It impacted many countries and many countries merged as one.

Many countries fought hard to get their resources back. Economic warfare resulted in the setting up of trading rules between two communities and soon after this, democratic systems barged into the scene.

The number of wars started to decline after democratic systems started to form. However, ancient warfare resulted in a high economic crisis for the Ancient Greeks. The Ancient Greeks faced a huge economic crisis due to their wars with over countries.

Ancient Greek Military Campaigns

There have been many wars where the Greeks have participated. The most famous Ancient Greek war was the Peloponnesian War. This was one of the most significant historic events which happened in ancient times. Apart from this, there were other famous battles fought by Ancient Greeks.

These were the Battle of Marathon, Battle of Thermopylae, Battle of Salamis, and Battle of Platae. All these wars originated in the late 400 BC.

Also, the war of Argos against the Spartan King in 669 BC is famous war in history. There was also the first sacred war which occurred in the year 585 BC.

The Greco-Punic wars also involved the Greeks and the war was started around 600 BCE. The second Messenian War which had the battle in 682 BCE is also one of the famous wars which involved the Ancient Greeks.

Ancient Greek wars are famous all over the world with many hidden and interesting stories. Greeks and Greek mythologies acquire high attention due to the unique names and unique stories which these wars have to tell.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for ancient Greece war facts then why not take a look at Ancient Greek coins facts, or Ancient Greece facts.

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Written by Abhijeet Modi

Master of Computer Science

Abhijeet Modi picture

Abhijeet ModiMaster of Computer Science

An experienced and innovative entrepreneur and creative writer, Abhijeet holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Computer Application from Birla Institute of Technology, Jaipur. He co-founded an e-commerce website while developing his skills in content writing, making him an expert in creating blog posts, website content, product descriptions, landing pages, and editing articles. Passionate about pushing his limits, Abhijeet brings both technical expertise and creative flair to his work.

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