Spartan Martial Arts

Shortly after birth a male Spartan child was bathed in wine by its mother to see if it could survive. Later the child's father would bring it before elders who would decide whether the child should live or be cast into a chasm on Mount Taygetos.

Military Training

Military training for a boy began at the age of seven when he would enter the Agoge system to learn Spartan martial arts. Although the primary focus of this was to prepare the boy to serve in the Spartan phalanx, it was extensive enough to cover other aspects of child rearing such as reading, writing, music and dancing. Training was divided into three segments: from 7-17, 18-19 and 20-29. The Spartan warrior became a 'reserve' soldier at the age of 18 and a full member of the army at age 20 before he retired at 30 after which he would remain on the 'active reserve' list until 60.

Twelve was also an important age for the Spartan youth. First he would be given a red cloak, which would serve as a badge of honor. It was also at this age that he would be given over to an older, unmarried Spartan mentor who would pass on his knowledge and give advice on training. It continues to be debated as to whether or not this relationship was also homosexual.

Training continued until the age of 18 when a ritual coming-of-age task was performed. If the warrior survived he would join the reserves then, at 20, he would join his squad of around fifteen others. This squad would bond and learn to rely on one another, a factor vital to the success of the phalanx.

The sanctity of the phalanx is testified by the parting words of a warrior's wife (or some other significant female figure) when her man marched to war. She would present his shield to him and say 'With this, or upon this', indicating that he should return from battle either with his shield or carried slain upon it. The shield carried such significance because in the press of the phalanx it protected both the wearer and the man to his left. Without the shield a comrade was in danger and with him the protection of the phalanx. Losing one's shield was punishable by death though the same law did not apply to personal pieces of armor. A principal teaching therefore of Spartan martial arts - and a factor that influenced weaponry and tactics - was the subjugation of the self for the protection of the phalanx. The martial skills of the Spartan warrior then were different to what we would perceive today as a martial art. Most of us would first of all think of a martial art as being intended for individual, most likely one-on-one combat, but not so for the Spartans. They anticipated fighting in a group in massive battles and training in Spartan martial arts reflected this.

In the videos below you can take a closer look at Spartan martial arts, tactics and the training methods of the Agoge.

The Spartan shield was large and heavy and not intended for defensive purposes only. Used correctly from a stable, strong stance, the shield was also used to attack an opponent and drive him to the ground.

Spartan martial arts included weapons practice and pankration which, as you can see from the video, had much in common with modern MMA fighting except that for the Spartan warrior on the battlefield there were no rules whatsoever. Finishing techniques included eye gouges and neck cranks.

Weapons training began at the age of 13. One of the first weapons they would learn to use was the kopis, a sword designed to be used to slash an opponent. The blade would have been around 65 cm / 26 inches in length and deadly to use. A more popular weapon was the heavy short sword (19 inches) which was excellent for use in tight press of the phalanx. Contrary to what the video says however, this was not the main weapon for use in the phalanx; rather the pike was the principal weapon being some 7 - 7 1/2 feet in length. The short sword became the weapon of choice when the lines closed and the pike became useless for those in the front rank.

'Battle Ball' (a modern name) was a traditional Spartan martial arts training method to prepare the warrior to fight in a unit as a member of a team while also toughening him up for unarmed combat. The rule of the game was simple: Get the strip of leather or cloth to the opposite goal by any means possible.

The pike at the bottom of the spear allows it to be thrust into the ground preventing the wood from becoming rotten and making it easy to see. It also served as a counter-weight to the main spear tip. In addition if the spear were broken in combat and the primary spear tip lost then the rear of the weapon could be reversed and still be used offensively. The final use was to allow enemies that had been driven to the ground and were underfoot to be slain without having to reposition the main spear tip to point downwards. Training with the spear and to use it in the phalanx was a primary focus of Spartan martial arts.

The Spartan helmet was hammered into shape from a single sheet of bronze. The helm provided protection for the back of the neck, and extending to the chin. The bridge of the nose was also protected. Other armor included the cuirass to cover the chest, abdomen and back, as well as greaves for the shins. In this way, along with the large shield, the Spartan hoplite was fully protected along his left side.

The Persians brought with them light, compact bows that were carried by cavalry. The Persian cavalry could reach speeds up to 25 mph and the mounted archer could release an arrow every two seconds. The archers using lighter composite bows were then supported by others who used heavier, stronger bows that could launch heavier arrows over a greater distance.

The Spartans did not use bows, considering a ranged death unmanly; nor did they have cavalry. To counter the Persian threat the Spartans relied on the phalanx, which was at least four rows deep and maintained a width of forty men. The shields were interlocked and effectively made an armored wall. The vulnerable point was to the right where the shield wall ran out. Therefore the veterans were placed here. Echoes of the right side taking seniority can be detected in the modern military.

The shield wall, the spears and Spartan martial arts skills were excellent defensive tactics. But they didn't solve the age old tactical problem of closing the gap with the enemy without being killed in the process. This problem was made especially acute as the Persians employed so many archers who could murder at a distance. To counter this the Spartans introduced the hoplite run. The training for this was tough but it allowed the warrior to get into close combat quickly where the Spartan martial arts, armor and weaponry were most deadly.

At the Battle of Plataea the Greek forces, led by the Spartans, were outnumbered by at least 3-1. The Greeks occupied the high ground while the Persians were encamped across a river. Both sides spent a week preparing for the battle and making sacrifices to their gods.

The Persians moved first. Mounted archers crossed the river to harass the Spartans on the Greek right flank, hoping to draw them out of position onto the open plain. The Spartans held fast and the face off continued.

After ten days the Greeks fake a disorganized withdrawal. The Persian general saw this and ordered his massive army to cross the river and advance, hoping to catch the retreating Greeks.

Once the Persians were drawn onto the plain the Greeks halt their withdrawal and turn to face the enemy. The Persian cavalry is nullified on the hilly, rocky ground.

Marching through a hail of arrows, the Spartans charged downhill into close combat where the Spartan martial arts would prove decisive. Over half the Persian force was slaughtered and as a result of this battle Greece - and Athens in particular - became the dominant power in the Mediterranean. Thus Western civilization as we know it today was birthed, through the use of Spartan martial arts, extensive training, iron discipline and bravery.

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