Roman and Spartan Warriors

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Introduction
Ancient Greece, Sparta especially, and Ancient Rome were best known for their military tactics and strategies. In the Greek city-state Sparta, military went as far as making every male citizen a hoplite, warriors of Ancient Greece, and go through a mandatory training program, agoge, or put through public humiliation (Park and Love). It is impossible to say that both Rome and Sparta neglected the idea of implementing warfare into their daily lives.
Ancient Sparta was the head of the Greek military, at one point the only Greek military. Genius tactics at the time led Sparta to become famous throughout the Mediterranean region as the strongest military force. The hoplites were known for their round shield and carried long spears with short swords (Sidebottom). During times of war, a military formation known as the phalanx, in which was essentially warriors standing in a box formation supporting one another, was used to essentially “push” the other side, striking down the other side by either being trampled or stabbed by the short swords of the opposing side. This basic formation was the very heart and soul of Greek warfare.
Rome, on the other hand, was improving upon their military as well. Rome’s military was not as original, as they used the same formation of the phalanx at one point in time and even modified tactics used by their enemies; eventually though, Rome developed new tactics and different fighters, including cavalry or alae (Watson). The Roman military system was basically tripartite, or in a three-part system with each part focused on a specific area or spread out amongst the empire (Watson). This military system helped lead Rome to eventually become the largest empire the world had not previ...

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...nt Warfare: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford, GBR. Ebook. 21 Nov. 2013
Rice, Rob S. Ancient Roman Warfare. Gareth Stevens, 2009. Web. 11 May. 2014
Sidebottom, Harry. Ancient Warfare: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford, GBR. Ebook. 21 Nov. 2013
Sidnell, Phillib. Warhorse: Cavalry in Ancient Warfare. London: Hambledon Continuum, Ebook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 10 Dec. 2013
Tucci, Jim. “Warfare in the Ancient World” The Journal of Military History. 74.3 (2010): 879-99. Proquest. Web. 22 Nov. 2013
Warnock, Michael T., Jr. “The American Hoplite: Evolution of the Infrantryman” Infantry 97.6 (2008): 43-6. Proquest. Web. 22 Nov. 2013
Watson, George Ronald. The Roman Soldier. Cornell University Press, 1985. Web. 1 Apr. 2014
W.G. Runciman. The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute. Vol. 4. No. 4 (Dec. 1998) p. 731-751 Great Britain and Ireland. 3 Nov. 2013

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