<P> If a hoplite escaped, he would sometimes be forced to drop his cumbersome aspis, thereby disgracing himself to his friends and family (becoming a ripsaspis, one who threw his shield). To lessen the amount of casualties inflicted by the enemy during battles, soldiers were positioned to stand shoulder to shoulder with their hoplon . The hoplites' most prominent citizens and generals led from the front . Thus, the whole war could be decided by a single field battle; victory was enforced by ransoming the fallen back to the defeated, called the "Custom of the Greeks". </P> <P> Individual hoplites carried their shields on their left arm, protecting not only themselves but also the soldier to the left . This meant that the men at the extreme right of the phalanx were only half - protected . In battle, opposing phalanxes would exploit this weakness by attempting to overlap the enemy's right flank . It also meant that, in battle, a phalanx would tend to drift to the right (as hoplites sought to remain behind the shield of their neighbour). The most experienced hoplites were often placed on the right side of the phalanx, to counteract these problems . According to Plutarch's Sayings of Spartans, "a man carried a shield for the sake of the whole line". </P> <P> The phalanx is an example of a military formation in which single combat and other individualistic forms of battle were suppressed for the good of the whole . In earlier Homeric, dark age combat, the words and deeds of supremely powerful heroes turned the tide of battle . Instead of having individual heroes, hoplite warfare relied heavily on the community and unity of soldiers . With friends and family pushing on either side and enemies forming a solid wall of shields in front, the hoplite had little opportunity for feats of technique and weapon skill, but great need for commitment and mental toughness . By forming a human wall to provide a powerful defensive armour, the hoplites became much more effective while taking fewer casualties . The hoplites had much discipline and were taught to be loyal and trustworthy . They had to trust their neighbours for mutual protection, so a phalanx was only as strong as its weakest elements . Its effectiveness depended on how well the hoplites could maintain this formation while in combat, and how well they could stand their ground, especially when engaged against another phalanx . The more disciplined and courageous the army, the more likely it was to win--often engagements between the various city - states of Greece would be resolved by one side fleeing after their phalanx had broken formation . </P> <P> Each hoplite provided his own equipment . Thus, only those who could afford such weaponry fought as hoplites; as with the Roman Republican army it was the middle classes who formed the bulk of the infantry . Equipment was not standardized, although there were doubtless trends in general designs over time, and between city - states . Hoplites had customized armour, the shield was decorated with family or clan emblems, although in later years these were replaced by symbols or monograms of the city states . The equipment might well be passed down in families, since it would have been expensive to manufacture . </P>

Describe the training weapons and armor of a greek hoplite