LogFAQs > #979617670

Classical Greek hoplites. People tend to conceptualize them as these defensive troops holding the line but in reality, they were very aggressive, choosing to charge at the enemy at a mad dash rather than hold the line. Herodotos mentions that at the Battle of Marathon the Athenian hoplites were the first ones to run into battle, probably an exaggeration but it does showcase a change in tactics from the static mixed unit homeric shield walls, which Herodotos implies the Spartans are still using during the Greco-Persian war, to the charge of homogenous heavy infantry.

This system proved effective, if a bit crude, against the Persians who had superiority in missile infantry and cavalry, by reducing battle to the clash of heavy infantry this took away some of the advantages the Persians held. Not a perfect system since most Greeks traded order for aggressiveness and writers of the 4th century like Xenophon were painfully aware of this.