Theban Hoplites at Plataea

[armchairgeneral]

Trying to get an idea of how the Theban hoplites looked at Plataea. Thinking the Boitoan helmet was a later addition and that they looked much like their hoplite opposition?

[Pattus Magnus]

That seems like a reasonable assumption. There is not evidence (that I have seen in my reading as an amateur looking at the period), that any Greek city states used standardized badges or designs. Even the equipment was varied- archaeologists classified helmet types based on where specimens were initially found, but that doesn?t seem to correspond much with how prevalent they were in use. Later there do seem to be some types that were regional, like the Boeotian helmets you mentioned, or the conical pilos helmets the Spartans used. Even then, that characteristic equipment was probably more widespread.

For Plataea, Theban likely looked indistinguishable from the Greek hoplites fighting against them.

[Easy E]

Yeah, it was so early that everyone just brought what they had.  Their was no standardization at this point.

[armchairgeneral]

Thanks for the replies. Aligns with my thoughts on this 

[SteveBurt]

Thebes was one of the few cities where a standard shield emblem was used (the club), but the evidence is pretty patchy. My Thebans have clubs on their shields; easy to paint!

[Easy E]

Thebes was one of the few cities where a standard shield emblem was used (the club), but the evidence is pretty patchy. My Thebans have clubs on their shields; easy to paint!

Yes, but that is also from a later period.

[Jjonas]

Theban Hoplite shields

The simple answer has already been stated above. Uniform shield designs were a later development.

But that doesn?t mean we should reject the club as a common shield design for Thebans and other Boeotian hoplites. There are many depictions of clubs on earlier vase art on dipylon shields as well as round shields.

Other common Boeotian designs would include Herakles himself, chimeras, geometric designs and bovine images.
These are commonly seen on vases and coinage.

The best source for me is to search Boeotian or Theban coins online to find acceptable symbols to gain a Theban ?look.?

This (below) classic website has many designs classified by time frames. The fact that most are listed as from Attica means that?s where they were created- not necessarily only Attic hoplites.

http://lukeuedasarson.com/Greek_shield_patterns_1.html

[armchairgeneral]

Theban Hoplite shields

The simple answer has already been stated above. Uniform shield designs were a later development.

But that doesn?t mean we should reject the club as a common shield design for Thebans and other Boeotian hoplites. There are many depictions of clubs on earlier vase art on dipylon shields as well as round shields.

Other common Boeotian designs would include Herakles himself, chimeras, geometric designs and bovine images.
These are commonly seen on vases and coinage.

The best source for me is to search Boeotian or Theban coins online to find acceptable symbols to gain a Theban ?look.?

This (below) classic website has many designs classified by time frames. The fact that most are listed as from Attica means that?s where they were created- not necessarily only Attic hoplites.

http://lukeuedasarson.com/Greek_shield_patterns_1.html

Thanks very much for this - really useful. I am more concerned with helmets. I am presuming the Theban/Boitian helmet came after Plataea and was more evident during the Peloponnesian War?

[FierceKitty]

Just off the top of my head, I feel fairly sure that the Boeoitian (sp?) helmet was adopted for the sake of visibility; a cavalry soldier might be willing to make do with reduced protection if he can see what he's doing. For a hoplite, this must have been far less important, since if you keep your position in rank and file, you just need to watch where your spear is going and if you need to raise your shield. I'd be very surprised if there were solid evidence of widespread use in the heavy infantry of the brass bonnet pattern of helmet.

[Jjonas]

Boeotian helmets are attested to during the Persian wars. There is a direct reference to Plataean hoplites at Marathon wearing them and was a distinctive feature.
A. M. Snodgrass page 94-95

My guess would be to mix styles up pilos, Boeotian, and classic styles.

[Jjonas]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Reconstruction_of_the_battle_of_Marathon_by_Polygnotos.jpg

Simplified Boeotian helmets on Plataeans at Marathon.