Recreating the Ancient World

Combatants in Greece

in the 5th Century B.C.

Home

Links and Acknowledgements

Notes

The Hoplite Association

Hoplite Reenactment Sites:

http://www.spartan-society.co.uk/ UK based group, located in Coventry. Run by a member of the Hoplite Association.

http://sydneyancients.5u.com/ (Australian group, well equipped, from Manning Imperial - link below. Cover multi-ancient roles but do Greek as well. Have been 'around' a long time)

www.thegreekwarriors.com (Hoplite group based in New York City. Perhaps the first Greek dedicated reenactment group in the USA?)

http://www.larp.com/hoplite/ (USA personal site - enthusiastic and shows the trials of 'going it alone' in panoply construction. Deserves credit for creating the first web platform for recreating the Greek Hoplite)

http://www.spartanwarband.com/ (USA based 'SCA' combat group who base themselves on Spartan hoplites [obviously!]- are now moving towards re-enactment as well and plans, we are told, are 'afoot' for 2006)

www.hoplites.co.uk (Run and maintained by a former Hoplite Association member who now undertakes personal activities)

http://www.spartiatikesmores.gr/ (Greek reenactment group IN GREECE. If you cannot read Greek just follow the links and find the pictures)

www.300spartanwarriors.com (USA, new site for 2006. We are told the intention is to form a reenactment group so any interested parties - make contact)

www.hoplitikon.com (the reenactment group "The Ancient Hopilitikon of Melbourne" in Australia)

Greek Related Discussion Groups

http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/ (The Greek thread is an element of the wider Roman discussion group, but contains discussion on issues surrounding this period, on equipment, academic and curiosity levels)

http://s8.invisionfree.com/Bronze_Age_Center/ (Under Aegean studies there are discussions of earlier Greek history. Includes academic debates and insight)

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thephalanx/ (Perhaps the longest running group, primarily 'Spartan' focussed and attracts a lot of younger contributors. Sometimes you need to trawl through the postings but some useful material appears)

Other Reenactment Sites of Interest:

http://hassiaceltica.de/ (German 5th Century BC celt reconstruction. The site is in German BUT if you access via 'Google' and input hassiaceltica you can click on the 'translate this website' page to get it in english if you want.)

http://hetairoi.de/ (German site with discussion group attached. There is provision for English language pages but these are not yet active {20 Feb 2006}, however if you can read German there is plenty here)

http://www.spartan-world.de (not exactly a reenactment site, but contains resource data that could be useful)

Equipment Sourcing:

Ann Laverick Re-enactors' Fair: http://www.reenactorsmarket.co.uk/

Bi-Annual Re-enactors Fair: http://www.livinghistoryfayres.com/

www.timetarts.co.uk (always worth checking first for equipment availability)

http://www.armae.com (a French deepeeka supplier but very friendly and highly competitive on price. Speak English)

www.battleorders.co.uk (main UK importer for deepeeka)

http://www.gdfb.co.uk/acatalog/info.html (developing own Greek range - 2006)

http://www.whiterosearmoury.co.uk/

http://www.manningimperial.com/

http://www.gwangung.co.uk/

http://www.valiantco.com/

http://www.steveralphs.com/ (excellent bowyer and supplier of a number of the scythian bows used by the Hoplite Association)

http://www.eagleclassicarchery.co.uk/

http://www.trinitycourtpotteries.co.uk/ (historical potter who specialises in later periods but can produce greek items to order and supplied the greek firepot and cooking pot on the equipment page)

http://www.bronzeagefoundry.com/

http://www.samarkandia.com/ (French supplier of asiatic items. Speak English. Items examined have been good quality - be aware, this is reflected in pricing)

http://www.eastern-archery.com/ (For those of you with a bit more to spend on your archery.....)

Academic, Reference and Study Sources

Abrahams, E.B.(1903); Greek Dress, John Murray, London

Berriedale-Johnson, M (2001); The British Museum Cookbook, St Edmundsbury Press

Connolly, P (1998); Greece and Rome at War, Greenhill Books

(Considered a seminal work on the period and a core reference text)

Davis-Kimball, J; Murphy, E.M; Korakova, L; Yablonsky, L.T. (2000); Kurgans, Ritual Sites and Settlements (Eurasian Bronze and Iron Age); BAR International Series 890

(The BAR archeology books form a vital source of research from this period and many are held in University libraries)

Hanson, V.D. (2000); The Western Way of War, University of California Press

Hanson, V.D. (2002); Hoplites, The Classical Greek Battle Experience, Routledge

(Although there are some aspects of controversy around the opinions expressed in the above, re-enactment experiences do strongly support these views and taken together they provide a good grounding in Hoplite warfare. Thoroughly recommended)

Laver, J (1964); Costume in Antiquity, Thames and Hudson

Osprey (www.ospreypublishing.com) produce a range of reference books that can help in the interpretation and understanding of this period. Key texts are: Greek Hoplite 480-323 BC; The Greek and Persian Wars 500-323 BC; The Ancient Greeks; The Spartan Army; Marathon 490 BC; The Scythians 700-300 BC; The Thracians 700 BC - AD 76; Mounted Archers of the Steppe 600 BC - AD 1300.

Reeder, E.D. (1999); Scythian Gold, H N Abrams Inc

Rolle, R; The World of the Scythians, University of California Press

Rudenko, S.I. (1970); Frozen Tombs of Siberia, University of California Press

(A bible of reference for any serious Scythian re-enactor. Ensure you source the first Thompson translation with all illustrations)

Vos, M.F. (1963); Scythian Archers in Attic Vase Paintings, JB Wolters, Germany

Acknowledgements

All of the photography featured in this site shows members of the Hoplite Association or equipment owned by them. A special thanks to Seimon Pugh-Jones, historical photographer, who took some of the more dramatic shots alongside his contract work for various magazines, e.g. www.armchairgeneral.com.

PLEASE NOTE:

The inclusion of supplier links in this website in no way constitutes an endorsement of that supplier but does reflect positive past experience and satisfaction in dealing with them.

Readers should follow the age old proviso of caveat emptor in any of their own dealings.