Culture: Athens at War in the 5th Century

Athenian Military Structure

The Athenian Army was comprised of citizen soldiers known as Hoplites.
Hoplites were armoured foot soldiers, typically of middle or upper classes.
Training was performed in the gymnasion and palaistra and was part of a citizen’s education.
Cavalry was limited due to the rocky terrain of Attica. It played a minor role compared to Hoplites.

This war was between the Delian League, led by Athens, and Sparta’s Peloponnesian League during the 5th Century BC.
It was effectively a civil war amongst the Greek states, lasting over 27 years.
Pericles’ strategy was to remain within the city’s walls, ignored land-based assaults, and place reliance on its navy.
The Sicilian Expedition, a massive Athenian military expedition to Sicily, was a major event during the war that ended disastrously for Athens.
The war concluded with the defeat of Athens, which resulted in a shift away from the democratic system of government.

Athenian’s naval might was a key component of its power, due to its strong triremes.
Triremes were 3-decked ships, manned by free citizens and slaves. They played a significant role in the victory against Persia in the Battle of Salamis.
Naval warfare could completely turn the tide of war as seen during the Battle of Aegospotami, where the Spartan navy defeated the Athenian fleet, leading to Athen’s surrender.

Funerals held for fallen soldiers, known as public funerals, were major events where notable figures, like Pericles, would give speeches.
The Athenian Acropolis and public buildings, such as the Parthenon, often displayed themes of war, symbolising the resilience and victories of the Athenians.
The tragedies of Euripides often depicted the horrors and ramifications of war, demonstrating the cultural reflection of warfare in Athens.