The Samurai

Rectitude

Courage

Benevolence

Respect

Honesty

Honor

Loyalty

- Seven Virtues of Bushidō

Perhaps not quite of the ancient world, these figures have still inspired countless poems, plays, and are included in so many anime that it is mind-boggling.  For this second post, I chose to look at the weapons and armor of another legendary historical warrior… The Samurai.

One might ask why choose the Samurai over the Ninja for the purposes of this assignment, and the answer is the abundance of information on Samurai culture.  This means that I also won’t get caught up in the Pirates vs. Ninjas debacle.

Historically, the Samurai didn’t appear until roughly 646 AD, after the Taika reforms.  These reforms included land redistribution and heavy new taxes, to support an elaborate empire similar to that of China.  This prompted the creation of a new military class to defend Japan and aristocratic officials.

What we know of the Samurai today comes from historical accounts, legal text in Japanese, death poems written by Samurai, and journals from Europeans who traveled with the Samurai.  Considering that the Samurai were not only encouraged to be literate, but to also be well versed in Chinese classic texts, as well as military strategy, reconstructing their way of life is far easier than that of more ancient cultures.  These individuals could write about their life and times in a language that still exists today, and whose documents still exist today.

Archaeological sites in Japan pertaining to the Samurai seem to have a common theme; most of them were (and still are) castles.  A listing of which may be found here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Archaeological_sites_in_Japan

Considering that castles are at their essence, fortified locations, it is logical that the elite military of Japan, at the service of those who were lords of castles, would have records kept in such places.  And if a castle was well fortified enough to escape capture, those places would remain safe through time.

Samurai, like many warriors, possessed a multitude of martial disciplines, and trained to use a variety of weapons.  The first weapon listed here did not arrive until between 1185 and 1333 AD (otherwise known as the Kamakura Period), but it is the most recognized of the Samurai weapons, which evolved from the earlier tachi and uchigatana swords.  The katana was considered by many to be the epitome of the sword, the finest in the world, and was said to figuratively represent the soul of the Samurai who wielded it.

Interestingly enough, there is one place in Japan where these swords are still made today, by the same customs and standards of their historic counterparts.  The following is the first of a four part video series on the modern construction of ancient swords.

  

The other half of the daisho, or Samurai sword pair, was the wakizashi, reminiscient of the katana, only slightly shorter.  The wakizashi served the function of an indoor sword, since it was a sign of respect to leave the katana at the entryway of a nobles’ house but still carry the wakizashi inside.  The wakizashi was said to represent the honor of the Samurai who wielded it, and it was with this weapon that a Samurai would commit Seppuku, or ritual suicide.

The principal ranged weapon of the Samurai was the Yumi, an asymmetric composite bow made from bamboo, wood, rattan and leather. The yumi could also be fired from horseback because of its asymmetric shape. The practice of shooting from horseback became a Shinto ceremony known as yabusame, and is still a practiced sport today.

The Samurai commonly used Pole weapons including the Yari and Naginata during their early years before the rise of the Japanese sword, and up to the end of the Meiji era, when the Samurai were disbanded.  Their function was to out-reach their opponent, and they were far easier and quicker to produce, such that they were ideal for foot soldiers.

The first types of Japanese armors identified as samurai armor were known as Yoroi, and included a number of auxiliary forms of protection. These early samurai armors were made from small individual scales that were made from either iron or leather, and were bound together into small strips. The strips were coated with lacquer to protect them from water, and were then laced together with silk or leather and formed into complete chest armor.

The Samurai were a paradoxical union of soldier and philosopher, protector and tyrant, chivalrous and self-immolating.  Their weapons and armor were not merely tools, but they were intrinsically tied to their bearers, and passed down from generation to generation.  Even today Japanese households will keep shrines to their ancestors cradling their treasured swords.

References:

http://asianhistory.about.com/od/warsinasia/p/SamuraiProfile.htm

http://gallery.sjsu.edu/oldworld/asiangate/ageofsamurai/armory.htm

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/samurai-warriors-examined-by-japanese-and-british-scientists-2356271.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samurai

The Spartan (Greek Hoplite)

“Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks”

-         Sir Winston Churchill

I thought I would begin the first blog assignment with a universally recognized warrior from history, The Spartan.  Spartans have become part of popular culture; they are used as mascots, such as the Michigan State University Spartans, and Master Chief from the HALO video game series.  Spartans are also used as source material for entertainment, such as having television shows and full length feature films dedicated to them.

Entertainment aside, it is true that the Spartans of Ancient Greece were feared combatants, and in this blog, we will be looking at their weapons and armor, from a historical, anthropological, and archaeological view.

According to archaeologists what we think of as “Ancient Greece”, started roughly around 3000 BC.  Small caves around the Acropolis rock and the Klepsythra spring show remnants of human use.

Later on, the Cycladic, Minoan, and Mycenaean civilizations emerged about the Aegean Sea and further inland.  These communities eventually developed into city-states, such as Athens, now capital of Greece, and Sparta.

These city-states, having different cultural backgrounds, religious views, and threat of invasion from Persia, (I think an article on the Persian Immortal will be a future blog topic) naturally dealt with continual strife and conflict.  In order to deal with this conflict, both offensively and defensively, the city-states instituted a standing army of citizen soldiers around the 8^th or 7^th century BC.  They were known as Hoplites.

Spartans were elite Hoplites famed for their lifelong dedication to warfare instead of the Athenian limitation of 60 years.  We know their primary function as warriors, and of their equipment through the illustrations left on pottery and stone.

These easily support that the following objects were in fact weapons and not merely tools for farming or construction.

Hoplites derive their name from the iconic shield, the Hoplon, (also known as the Aspis) which was constructed of wood and coated with bronze.  The shield served the primary function of protection as well as an unorthodox bludgeoning weapon.

 

 

The primary weapon of the Hoplite was the Dory, a spear between 7 to 9 feet in length, it could be held underhand for precision or overhand for power.  Construction of the spear sported two points, so that in the event the shaft broke at one end, the other could serve as a stabbing weapon as well.

  

The secondary weapon of the Hoplite was the Xiphos, a double-edged and pointed sword, considered “short” by the standards of later European swords, this blade was used when the length of the spear was a hindrance.

  

An alternate sword was the Kopis, usually associated with the Spartans, for it was considered a ruthless hacking weapon, more akin to an axe.  Spartans carried this to instill fear of a long, agonizing death in their enemies, who would have preferred to die in one piece.

Further detail on Spartan/Hoplite weapons may be found here:

http://www.ancientmilitary.com/spartan-weapons.htm

The armor of the Hoplite varied depending on the wealth or social standing of the wearer.  Since each soldier would have to supply his own equipment, there was room for differentiation even amongst the trends.

Most heavy armors were crafted from bronze, and detailed to give the appearance of musculature or indicate rank.  However, these were costly to produce, so a variant to plate armor was a “linothorax”, a thick linen armor that was cheaper and easier to make.  The lowest form of armor possible was to wear none, which was the practice of the average farmer-peasant who might only be able to acquire a shield and spear.

 

One of the reasons this equipment was considered extremely effective was that it was made with or of bronze.  During the time period of the Grecian city-states, bronze was a superior alloy to most other weapon materials.  Which begs the question, how did they learn to use it so quickly and efficiently?  The answer is location; Greece was (and to some extent still is) situated on large deposits of copper and tin, and as such, was able to directly craft with the alloy instead of having to trade with other cultures for it.

This site has a map of mineral deposits throughout Europe.

http://oldtiden.natmus.dk/udstillingen/bronzealderen/roerbysvaerdene/hvor_fik_man_bronzen_fra/language/uk/ 

Greece has long been considered by many to be a fascinating study on ancient civilizations and culture.  With its easily obtained wealth of sturdy building materials, close proximity to the sea, and sustainable agriculture, it was an industrial powerhouse.  It is no wonder that its military strides were just as industrious.

I am considering that the next blog will be about the Samurai of Feudal Japan.

Sources:

300 is a motion picture owned by Warner Brothers, the above image is for promotional purposes.

Acropolis image: http://moreaedesign.wordpress.com/2010/09/13/more-about-the-new-acropolis-museum-athens-greece-draft/

Wikipedia Hoplite page