hoplite

Definition

A heavily-armed infantry soldier of Ancient Greece, wielding a one-handed spear and an aspis.

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ὁπλίτης (hoplítēs, “heavily armed foot-soldier”), from ὅπλον (hóplon, “arms, armor, weapon”) (from which English hopl-). Compare Latin hoplomachus (“gladiator”).

Example Sentences

• "[…] it was in the line of "hoplites" that the mass of citizen-soldiers were to be found."
• "However important the use of hoplites against, or in support of, troops of other arms had become, their chief function was still to fight other hoplites, though the battles of the early fourth century were very different from the ponderous confrontations that had filled King Xerxes and his courtiers with contempt."
• "The Athenian hoplites who routed the Persian invaders on the field of Marathon in 490 created one of the great 'myths' of Athens."

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