Greek shield facts for kids

Hoplite shield as carried by athletes in a race at the Olympic Games

The Greek shield from Ancient Greece was called a hoplon or aspis. This is where the word hoplite comes from, which was the name for a Greek soldier.

The Ancient Greek Shield: Hoplon

The hoplon was a large, round shield shaped like a deep dish. It was mostly made of wood. Sometimes, a thin sheet of bronze was added around the edge of the shield.

What Was a Hoplon Made Of?

These shields were mainly crafted from wood. The bronze layer, when used, was usually just a thin covering on the outside rim. This made the shield a bit stronger. In different time periods, some shields had cool designs on them, while others were left plain.

How Was the Hoplon Used?

The hoplon was super important for Greek soldiers. It was designed to help a large group of hoplites push forward together against an enemy army. Soldiers held the shield in their left hand. For soldiers from Sparta, the shield wasn't just for defense. They also used it as a weapon to attack!

Famous Shield Decorations

Many Greek cities had special symbols on their shields.

• The most famous design was probably the one used by Spartan soldiers. They often had a big capital lambda (Λ) on their shields. This letter stood for Laconia, the region where Sparta was located.
• From the late 400s BC onwards, soldiers from Athenian often used the Little Owl as their symbol. The owl was a sacred bird to Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war.
• Soldiers from Theban sometimes decorated their shields with a sphinx. Other times, they used the club of Herakles, a famous hero.

See also

• Aspis
• Ancient Greek warfare