Year 12 Ancient History - Spartan Army Reenactment

On Friday Week 4, the Year 12 Ancient History class recreated the Spartan Phalanx formation as part of their studies into Spartan Society for the HSC. This activity included dressing up one of their peers as a Spartan soldier with the correct armour and equipment, before creating a Phalanx and moving as one.

 The Phalanx was a key battle formation that the Spartans used in battle and proved to be effective for centuries. The Phalanx embodies the core ideals of Spartan society summarised by the term eunomia. This includes moving as a collective, enforced discipline and maintaining the ‘Spartan Mirage,’ a propaganda technique used by the Spartans and still in effect to this day.

The ancient history students gained a lot of insight during this activity into the experience of the Spartan soldier in battle and leading. With a small class, we enlisted soldiers from Study Hall (thank you Mrs Bradford for allowing us to borrow students) to fill the ranks and allow us to properly formulate the Phalanx with our makeshift thrusting spears and hoplons (shields). 

Read below some of the reflections of the students: 

• “The reenactment of the phalanx was very fun but also very useful because we were able to create a visual representation of what the soldiers would have had to do back in Sparta and in battle”
• “The reenactment helped me understand how being in a Phalanx formation as an ancient Spartan required discipline, courage and unity with fellow soldiers”

I also want to express my thanks to both Mr Dunaeff and Mr Sheehan for their involvement and helping the ancient history students instruct the students from Study Hall into formation, as well as helping to lead the formation around the multipurpose court on the Senior Campus. 

We hope you enjoy these images as much as we enjoyed creating them!

Miss Mickaella Douglas and the 12ANHI1 Class

Teacher of Ancient History and Junior HSIE