Hoplite Gravestone at The Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Greece

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Grace Stela Depicts Hoplite in Full Armor, Symbolizing Social Base of Ancient Greek City-State. The grave marker may represent a member of the society of adult male soldiers who formed the backbone of the city's social and political structure. Hoplites were citizen-soldiers of ancient Greek city-states who primarily wielded spears and shields as their primary armaments. Their signature tactic was the phalanx formation, which proved to be a winning strategy in battle against the Persians. These hoplites consisted mainly of free citizens - propertied farmers and artisans - who were able to afford the expensive bronze armor suits and weapons, estimated to comprise one-third to one-half of their able-bodied adult male population. Hoplites received basic military training that prepared them for warfare. The phalanx formation was adopted by Greek armies in the 8th or 7th century BC and proved successful in defeating the Persians at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC during the First Greco-Persian War. The Persian archers and light troops failed to penetrate the Greek shields and armor due to the weakness of their bows, while their own armor and shields were no match for the longer spears and swords of the Greeks. The phalanx tactic was also employed by the Greeks at the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC and at the Battle of Plataea in 479 BC during the Second Greco-Persian War, resulting in further victories. The word hoplite is derived from the Greek term hoplon, referring to the type of shield used by these soldiers. There is some debate about this etymology, as the shield was more commonly known as an aspis. However, the term hopla could also denote the soldiers' weapons or their full armament. In modern times, the word hoplite is still used in the Hellenic Army to refer to infantrymen. This object is part of "Scan The World," a non-profit initiative by MyMiniFactory to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from around the globe for public access. Scan the World is an open-source community effort, inviting anyone with interesting items to contribute by emailing stw@myminifactory.com. Scanned using photogrammetry (processed using Agisoft PhotoScan).