Warfare in Ancient Greece

Ancient Greece is known for its art, mythology and democracy. Greece is considered the bedrock of democracy however it was also a great military power. Ancient Greece fought many wars and was a considerable power. Even though the Ancient Greek civilization fought wars for different reasons and in very different ways from modern civilization it is important to understand Ancient Greek warfare. As Greek formed the basis from the democratic way in which run our society, they also established ways in which we engage in warfare. It is important to pay attention to Ancient Greek warfare for this reason.

Understanding Ancient Greek warfare can provide insight into not only the ways in which we fight our wars but also why we will go to war with other nations. We can learn lessons for the past and warfare can provide clear examples of how not to allow history to repeat itself. Warfare has now evolved from fighting hand to hand with someone else to simply pressing a button to release a weapon. There is a considerable fear that this new form of warfare leaves us detached from what war does and what it means to be in a war. By studying not only the culture of Ancient Greece but also their wars, we can continue to hold a connection to what it means to go into battle. 

For the Ancient Greek going into battle was not seen as something to dread as it is now. Alexander the Great was fearless in his conquers and conquests. For a Greek warrior fighting was an opportunity to bring glory and honor to their families and countries. Greek warriors were seen as heroes as myths and stories were written about them. Young boys looked up to these warriors and hoped to one day become one. These very feelings of glory and honor were some reasons why the larger society as a whole went to war with other societies. Greeks also went to war for reasons that were not as noble. Greece would go to war for greed as they would conquer other lands and take their riches. Greece would also go to war over land as in ancient times the nation that held the most land was the most powerful. Each society that was conquered would also yield slaves who would be used to continue to profit the nation economically. The various Greek states would often go to war with each other over political reasons. Eventually these individual states realized the need to fight together against other nations. “...the Spartans had long been yearning for peace, that the Athenians had lost heart for the war, and that both sides were unstrung and willing to drop their arms” (Romm and Mensch 114). These reasons for going to war do not translate to modern warfare. Modern soldiers no longer go to war for glory or honor rather they go to war to protect their country. Modern warfare also is not fought for land but for resources as that was become a more valuable commodity.

The way in which war was experienced in Ancient Greece was also very different from the modern era. The first Greek armies were small as each state had its own army. While wars were frequent, they were not very long. This meant that Greek families had to be prepared to send the men in their home off to war. The women in the families had to be able to take on the duties of the men in the home. These early armies were divided and only fought for their own state rather than the whole nation of Greece. These armies also comprised of normal citizens who were not soldiers. These citizens had other duties and were not as skilled as full time soldiers may have been. Once a war was over, they had to go back to their regular jobs. In order to fight other larger empires Greece united these various state armies to form a single army. The Greek army became more skilled, larger and eventually diversified. “By their epochal victories over the Persians in 490 and 480/479 B.C., Sparta and Athens established themselves as the preeminent powers in Greece and the Aegean” (Pressfield). This larger army had more similarities to modern day warfare. Although the technology of modern warfare has made the experience more detached while being more effective there are still some similarities to Ancient Greece. Some of these similarities include working as a cohesive unity, wearing body armor and ensuring access to supplies. 

While there are many differences between the days of Pericles' battles in Ancient Greece and modern warfare the consequences of war were the same for both. The loss of lives has and always will be the most important cost of war. However, the way in which this death was experienced was different. While these days we mourn the loss and count the numbers of soldiers who gave their lives, in Ancient times the death was seen as inevitable. While many of the lives lost were those of citizens the frequency of the wars in Ancient Greece meant that the deaths were seen as the norm. The loss of resources and money is also a cost of war which is shared by both Ancient Greece and modern nations. However, in Ancient Greece war provided opportunities to gain more resources as they would pillage the resources of any nation they conquered. Modern warfare leads to increased loss of resources as invading countries will at times have to work to redevelop the countries which results in more costs. 

The consequences of war were similar for both modern and ancient nations however war was fought more often in ancient countries such as Greece. This could be due to the fact that in Ancient Greece engaging in war was one of the only ways in which to solve problems with other nations. Although war is still used as a way in which to solve disputes alternate forms of diplomacy are preferred. Utilizing diplomacy to solve problems is a lesson that has been learned by modern nations from ancient nations. As nations evolve, they realize that the costs of war are too great, or they do not realize these costs and nations crumble. Modern nations must avoid the pitfalls of war through learning the lessons of the past. As more and more money is being poured into our nation's defense budget it would be beneficial to take a step back into the past to learn the lessons from Ancient Greek warfare.

Works Cited

Pressfield, S. Tides of war. Bantam, 2007.

Romm, J., and P. Mensch. Lives That Made Greek History. Hackett Publishing Company, 2012.