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Ancient Warfare: Military Practices of the Greeks, Romans, and Chinese

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The art of war has evolved dramatically over centuries, but some of its foundational principles stem from the ancient civilizations of Greece, Rome, and China. These cultures developed unique military strategies, battle formations, and innovations that influenced warfare for generations. Let's explore how each civilization approached combat and why their tactics still resonate in military history today. Greek Warfare: The Phalanx and Hoplites The Greeks, particularly the city-state of Sparta, were renowned for their disciplined warriors and structured battlefield tactics. The key formation in Greek warfare was the phalanx , a tight-knit unit of heavily armed soldiers called hoplites . These warriors carried large shields (aspis), long spears (dory), and short swords (xiphos) for close combat. The phalanx worked by creating an almost impenetrable wall of shields and spears, making frontal assaults extremely difficult for enemies. The strength of the phalanx lay in its unity—each sol...