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What. I thought it was pretty well known that Greece used lots of non "Greek" soldiers and mercenaries. Same with Rome. Is this really a non-mainstream idea?
by NikolaeVarius 5y ago
What. I thought it was pretty well known that Greece used lots of non "Greek" soldiers and mercenaries. Same with Rome. Is this really a non-mainstream idea?
- kodah 5y agoI don't think it's non-mainstream. It was taught to me in school that the downfall of the Greeks was outsourcing their army to mercenaries and I've heard it again and again in reference to Spartan lore.
- slibhb 5y agoIt's well known among scholars but I think the title here is aimed at popular culture. Hoplites (shield, spear, helmet, greeves) were rich citizens which is how they could afford their armor. Many of the men who fought in the Classical era were slaves or foreigners or teenagers, often from Macedonia, called peltasts or psiloi.
- Cybotron5000 5y ago…and Carthage famously, no?