WARRIORS THAT WERE LETHAL

THE MEDIEVAL KNIGHTS

Training for knighthood during medieval times usually began

at an early age. Often the prospective knight was sent to

live with a relative or lord who had the resources to train the

young boy in use of weapons and, most important, the

skills to handle a horse in combat. Once his training was

complete and he reached fighting age (usually around

sixteen to twenty years old), he was ready to take part in

wars and crusades in which he most likely would lose his

life with honour.

THE VIKINGS

“Viking” is the name by which the Scandinavian seaborne raiders

of the early medieval period are now commonly known. More

than the vicious warriors and raiders of tradition, the Vikings were

also traders and colonists who left an enduring mark all over

Northern Europe thanks to their glorified fighting skills, from

which many epic tales were written that endure to this day.

THE SAMURAI

The samurai were Japanese warriors who became the

highest-ranking social caste of the Edo Period (1603–1867).

A samurai employed a range of weapons such as bows and

arrows, spears and guns, but his main weapon and symbol

was the sword. A samurai was supposed to lead his life

according to the ethical code of bushido (“the way of the warrior”).

Strongly Confucian in nature, bushido stressed concepts

such as loyalty to one’s master, self-discipline and respectful

ethical behaviour.

THE GREEK PHALANX

The Greek phalanx was a rectangular mass military formation,

usually composed entirely of heavy infantry armed with spears,

pikes, sarissas, or similar weapons. The phalanx became

widely known through Alexander the Great’s army, which

perfected this military formation helping their king become

one of the most, if not the most, successful general and

conqueror of all time.

THE PERSIAN IMMORTALS

The first Persian Empire (550 BC–330 BC), called the Achaemenid

Empire, is known for having an elite warrior force. Named the

“Immortals” by the Greek historian Herodotus, this army

consisted of a heavy infantry of ten thousand men that

never reduced in number or strength. The Immortals played

an important role in Persian history, acting as both the

Imperial Guard and the standing army during the

empire’s expansion.

THE ROMAN LEGION

A full-strength legion was officially made up of six thousand men,

but typically all legions were organized at below strength and

generally consisted of approximately 5,300 fighting men

including officers. They were originally heavily influenced by

the Greek phalanxes of Alexander the Great but evolved

further with new techniques of warfare, helping the

Roman Empire to become one of the greatest empires

the world has ever known.

THE MONGOLIAN WARRIORS

The Mongols were violent and extremely well trained in the art of war.

Divided into groups of skilled archers and horse riders, the

Mongolian warriors went up against some of the best organized

armies of their time helping their leader, Genghis Khan, to create

one of the biggest empires the world has ever seen.

THE SPARTANS

Arguably the most famous military unit in history, the Spartans

are rightfully considered the most ferocious and effective

warriors in history. From the moment a Spartan male was born,

the military and the city-state were the centre of his life. If the

infant was too weak or sick, he was abandoned in the

countryside and left to die since he would never be a strong,

healthy warrior.  The life of a Spartan soldier was inseparable

from that of his fellow soldiers. He ate, slept, and trained with them.

They were allowed to marry, but couldn’t live with their wives

since they spent most of their time fighting in wars or training.

They also didn’t participate in sporting events (such as the

Olympics) since according to Sparta’s standards sports were

for kids and women, men should only spend their energy

fighting in wars.