Thanks to Hollywood, and Gerard Butler, most of us have a picture of what a Spartan warrior looked like. Maybe they embellished a little, but what they did get right was how serious of a warrior the Spartan was.
Sparta wasn’t like other Greek city-states that were centers of the arts, learning and philosophy. No, Sparta’s culture was plain and simple: war. Male Spartan’s were allowed only one occupation: solider. Indoctrination into this lifestyle began at age 7, when they left their home and entered the Agoge. During this stage of life the warrior children were subjected to continuous and rigorous physical competitions and challenges. They were also taught survival skills.
Those that survived the training were allowed to be “police officers” of the state until the age of 20. Once the Spartan male reached the age of 20 they would become full-time soldiers. They had no other job or task. They would carry that warrior title until the age of 60.
Weapons of the Spartans
Every Spartan warrior was equipped with 5 different weapons, each with different purposes.
The Xiphos:
The Xiphos was the close quarter weapon used by Spartan Warriors. It was typically their second choice weapon, should they be forced to use it. Traditionally much shorter than a Greek Xiphos the Spartan’s short sword would prove advantageous when in close quarter battle, with easier maneuverability, being able to inflict damage where a longer sword would be much harder to wield.
The Xiphos sported a leaf shaped straight blade, and would traditionally have been made from bronze or iron, due to the leaf shape nature not requiring the strength that comes from stronger metals like steel.
The Kopis:
The Kopis was an alternative sword used sometimes by the Spartans. The Kopis was a longer curved blade that used to cut and thrust when attacking the opponent, and featured a single edge as opposed to the duel edge of the Xiphos. The Spartans would wield the Kopis one handed, and even though it was widely considered to be a suitable blade for use when on horseback.
The Javelin:
Another weapon the Spartans would make use of was the Javelin. Used from long range the Javelin is a throwing weapon the Spartans would employ before closing the distance on their foes. Common in the Ancient Greece, the Javelin was quite a short throwing weapon, typically three feet long, and constructed from a wooden handle combined with a bronze tip used to pierce and damage the recipient.
The Dory:
The Dory was a spear weapon used by the Spartans, the Dory was truly a hefty spear and could be up to 9ft long in length. When used by the Spartans this spear would be used with only one hand, allowing the Spartan to maintain and protect himself with his Apsis shield.
When wielding the Dory to attack the Spartan would mix both upwards and downward strikes at their opponents, with both underarm and overarm use of the Dory producing slightly different results.
The Apsis:
The Apsis was the shield of the Spartan warriors and much loved. Although one may consider the Apsis a defence weapon, in the hands of the skilled Spartans it could also be an attacking weapon.
The Apsis is a multi material construction, and completely round in shape. The shield would start as multiple layers of wood, with a layer of leather before the outer bronze exterior. The construction of the Apsis allowed the Spartan warrior to withstand most weapons glance, and if needed was a suitably heavy blunt force weapon.
The Raven Crest Tactical Spartan Knife:
We are proud to announce the release of a new OTF knife we feel is Spartan worthy. The Spartan OTF knife is a very heavy duty knife and was designed to perform under any and all conditions. The handle of the Spartan OTF knife has exotic ebony wood inlays that we source from Indonesia. These inlays are not just for aesthetics, they give maximum gripping capabilities, which is critical for thrusting or penetrating heavy duty materials.
We offer the Spartan OTF knife in two versions, our standard version has a serrated or non serrated tanto blade. We also offer a “Gladius” version of the Spartan OTF which has a spear point blade. This blade is more along the lines of what traditional Roman foot soldiers carried.
No matter which version you choose, we assure you that the Spartan OTF is going to exceed your expectations. We guarantee it. Please click the link below, get one of these knives while they last and find out for yourself how awesome owning a Spartan OTF can be.
The Spartans had a famous saying “Molon labe”, it means “Come and Take Them”. It was made famous because it was used as an expression of defiance. When the Persian army’s demanded that the Greeks surrender their weapons at the Battle of Thermopylae, King Leonidas responded with that phrase. We guarantee that if your get to own a Spartan OTF knife you will adopt that same level of passion for your knife.
Resources:
http://www.history.com/topics/
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
