The Spartans were a feared and respected warrior society in ancient Greece known for their rigorous training, discipline, and unwavering bravery on the battlefield. One of the reasons for their success was their sophisticated Spartan weapons. From the iconic spear to the massive shield, Spartan weapons were designed to be powerful, efficient, and effective.
The weapons wielded by the Spartans were a key aspect of making Sparta the world’s leading war machine in ancient times. Only warfare was considered a career option for Sparta’s highly trained warriors who were groomed for battle from a young age.
The Spartan culture was designed to enhance military power, and every aspect of its existence centered around this goal. Their weapons were formidable and their warriors put their entire strength behind each strike.
It was customary for Spartan families to pass along weapons, armor, and shields from one generation to the next. This practice elevated their devotion to winning battles, as abandoning their ancestral weapons and shield and fleeing from battle would have been considered shameful.
Let’s explore the unique characteristics and use cases of several Spartan weapons that made them the most lethal military force in Antiquity.
Dory – The Spear
The primary weapon of the Spartan warrior was a 2-3m((6 ft 7 in to 9 ft 10 in) long spear with a diameter of 5cm(2 inches) made of ash or cornel wood called a Dory. It is the most iconic of all spartan weapons. The word Dory was first used by Homer, meaning wood and spear, in his poems.
Its spearhead was made of either iron or bronze and shaped like a flat leaf with a long cylindrical socket through which it was attached to the shaft of the wood. The cornel wood was chosen to make the Dory due to its strength. The density of the wood from the Dory tree is so high that it sinks into the water.
The Spartan soldier would grip the spear with one hand, either in an overhand or underhand position depending on the circumstances, while using the other arm to hold the shield. The tightening of leather around the spear’s grip would provide a superior hold.
The bottom end of the spear had a butt spike called a sauroter, meaning lizard killer in Greek. It could have been made of iron or bronze, with the most typical spears of that time having a bronze sauroter and an iron head.
This spike had multiple functions, including being used as a support to stand the spear up and being utilized as a backup weapon when the spearhead was damaged or lost.
Any fallen enemies that the Spartan soldier marched over while in a phalanx could be finished off by the soldiers marching at the back end with their spears in a vertical position.
The Sparta warriors made clean piercing strikes using the Dory from tightly packed rows of the Phalanx formation.
Its aerodynamic shape also made it possible to use it for throwing. However, it was not the primary purpose of the Dory as it was primarily used for combat between phalanges which was typical among Greek warriors of that time.
Javelin – The throwing weapon
A Javelin is a throwing spear that was used by the Spartan hoplites and other Greek warriors. It was approximately 1.5m (50 inches) long with a tip made up of iron attached at the top.
It was a highly effective weapon during battles because of its lightweight construction, ability to penetrate armor, and capability to hit enemies from a distance. The Spartan soldiers would have used targetted their enemies by throwing before engaging them in close combat.
Xiphos – The Spartan Sword
The Xiphos was a short sword used by ancient Greeks, typically carried by Spartan hoplite warriors as a secondary weapon to their primary spear. It was primarily used for thrusting and stabbing rather than hacking or slashing.
The typical Greek Xiphos was a double-edged iron blade that was around 45-60cm(18-24 inches) long. However, the Spartan warriors used a smaller version of the Xiphos, which was just 30-45cm(18-24inches) long during the Greco-Persian Wars.
It was a light weapon, weighing less than 1 kg. If a hoplite’s spear was rendered useless or broken during battle, they would have resorted to using this sword. The Spartans used shorter weapons which were deadly in the midst of colliding phalanx formations.
These weapons could thrust through gaps in the enemies’ shield walls and armor, where longer weapons could not fit. The ferocious Spartan soldiers targeted the groin and throat of their enemies with these weapons.
According to one popular account by the Greek philosopher Plutarch, an Athenian asked a Spartan why his sword was so short. And after a brief pause, the Spartan replied, “It’s long enough to reach your heart.”
The Kopis
The Kopis was a thick curved one-handed Spartan sword ranging from 48 cm (18.9 inches) to 65 cm (25.6 inches) in length, almost the same size as the Roman spatha.
Spartan soldiers wielded this weapon more like an axe than a sword, as it could cause more brutal injuries than the cleaner punctures made by Xiphos and the Dory.
The Kopis were used as an alternative to the much more common Xiphos by some Spartans. Due to its intimidating appearance, it was notorious as the “villain’s” choice in ancient Greece and was frequently depicted in Athenian art as the weapon of choice for Spartan warriors.
Hoplon – The Spartan Shield
The Spartan shield was primarily used for defense, though Spartans also used it to knock down and disorient their enemies, or create some distance to allow them to wield another weapon.
The Spartans decorated their shields with the Greek capital letter, Lambda, symbolizing the ancient Hellenistic name for Sparta, called Lacedaemon.
The hoplite shield used by the Spartans was made up of wood with an outer layer of bronze and was very heavy, weighing about 30 pounds(13.6kg). It also had thin ages making it an excellent blunt weapon.
As it was intended for defensive purposes, employing the shield as an offensive weapon could provide a surprise advantage to the Spartan warrior. It’s even possible that being battered to death with a massive shield was a much more painful experience than being dismembered with a Kopis sword.
Spartan Armor
The Spartan warriors wore armor consisting of flanged bronze cuirasses, leg greaves, and a Corinthian helmet. The officers most like had a horsehair crest on their helmets for ease of identification. During the Hellenistic period, the Corinthian helmet was replaced by the Pilos-style helmet.
Also Read: Spartan Height: How Tall Was the Average Spartan Warrior?