Greek hoplites were infantry warriors who carried shields, were primarily armed with spears, and fought in the disciplined ranks of a phalanx formation – a solid mass of soldiers typically eight ranks deep. From about 700 B.C. to around 300 B.C., the hoplite phalanx dominated warfare in Greece, the Aegean region and western Asia Minor.

The hoplites of ancient Greece were free citizens of one of the Greek city-states and were therefore required to perform military service for a specified amount of time and remained subject to call up when a war broke out.