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11 - Military forces

from Part II - The Hellenistic World and the Roman Republic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 March 2008

Nicholas Sekunda
Affiliation:
Professor of Ancient History, University of Gdansk
Philip de Souza
Affiliation:
College Lecturer in Classics, University College Dublin
Philip Sabin
Affiliation:
King's College London
Hans van Wees
Affiliation:
University College London
Michael Whitby
Affiliation:
University of Warwick
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Summary

the age of philip and alexander

Military demography

In the classical Greek poleis, the exclusive nature of citizenship restricted the expansion of armies, while the lack of state finances limited the development of tactical diversity. Mass emancipation into the citizenry had taken place during the archaic period, but during the classical period citizenship became increasingly exclusive. The manpower losses suffered in many states (such as Athens) during the Peloponnesian War were never replaced.

Another factor reducing the size of hoplite forces was the decline in personal wealth evident during the fourth century. Fewer Greeks were able to provide themselves with hoplite weaponry, either for the service of their own state or for mercenary service abroad. In 401 the 10,000 ‘Cyrean’ mercenaries consisted of 10,400 hoplites and only 2,500 peltasts: a proportion of four to one. By 374/3, when Iphicrates was appointed to command the Greek mercenaries assembled for the planned invasion of Egypt, it would seem that the majority of these ‘Iphicrateans’ were without hoplite equipment.

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2007

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  • Military forces
  • Edited by Philip Sabin, King's College London, Hans van Wees, University College London, Michael Whitby, University of Warwick
  • Book: The Cambridge History of Greek and Roman Warfare
  • Online publication: 28 March 2008
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CHOL9780521782739.012
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  • Military forces
  • Edited by Philip Sabin, King's College London, Hans van Wees, University College London, Michael Whitby, University of Warwick
  • Book: The Cambridge History of Greek and Roman Warfare
  • Online publication: 28 March 2008
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CHOL9780521782739.012
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  • Military forces
  • Edited by Philip Sabin, King's College London, Hans van Wees, University College London, Michael Whitby, University of Warwick
  • Book: The Cambridge History of Greek and Roman Warfare
  • Online publication: 28 March 2008
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CHOL9780521782739.012
Available formats
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