Ancient Greek soldiers endured brutal combat in heavy armor
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Archaeologists in Greece tested a replica of a 3,500-year-old bronze armor set to determine if it was practical for battle.
In 1960, researchers discovered a remarkably well-preserved armor near Dendra in Argolis, a region of Greece that was once the center of the Mycenaean civilization. For decades, experts debated whether the armor was ceremonial or designed for actual combat. To answer this question, a research team from the University of Thessaly used an exact replica created in 1984.
They based a battle simulation on accounts from Homer’s Iliad, including the soldiers’ diet of foods like bread, meat, and wine. The team recruited thirteen Greek Navy infantry soldiers, known for their physical fitness, to wear the 23-kilogram armor for eleven hours. During the simulation, the soldiers followed a combat protocol and researchers monitored their heart rate, body temperature, and the force of their strikes.
The study found the soldiers could maintain an average strike force of 3.5 kilonewtons, enough to cause severe fractures, and completed the eleven-hour exercise without critical health issues, proving the armor was functional for prolonged, demanding campaigns. This confirms the Mycenaean military’s strength and the physical prowess described in Homer’s writings.
