Gods and Goddesses
- What is unique about the Greeks' relationship with their gods is the interaction with humans
- Poseidon (god of the sea) interfered with Odysseus trying to return home
- Aphrodite (goddess of love) had lovers of both gods and men
- Dionysus (god of wine) was the son of Zeus (a god) and Semele (a human)
- Greeks were certainly a warlike people- especially the Spartans
- Spartans were known for their tough, ruthless infantry: soldiers who fought on land
- Spartan boys trained from the time they were seven
- Athens had a great infantry, too, but nothing could compare to their navy
- their most effective weapon was the trireme
- the trireme was a technological marvel
- the fastest ship in the world at the time
- rowed by up to 170 men on three levels
- could be used as a battering ram
- agile, fast
- close-rank, a dense grouping of warriors
- armed with long spears and interlocking shields
- soldiers would advance slowly toward the enemy until they broke through their ranks
- iron weapons meant ordinary citizens could afford to arm themselves
- foot soldiers (hoplites) trained from an early age
- armed with spears, swords, and shields
- "home field" advantage
- motivated to preserve democracy
- first archers (do damage from a distance)
- then calvary (they disrupt communication between generals and soldiers)
- then lightly armed infantry (carried spear, sword, and bow)
- huge numbers
- a long way from home
- professional army (soldiers for hire, or mercenaries)
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