Page 34 - FindTominTimeAncientGreece
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Tom had nearly caught up with Digby, when suddenly he found himself surrounded by fearsome-looking soldiers wearing bronze armour and helmets.
A soldier pointed his spear at Tom’s chest. Yikes!
But all of a sudden, Tom heard a familiar purring and turned to find . . . Granny Bea carrying Digby!
Men were trained up as soldiers from the age of 18. In , boys started
training from age seven, joining the army at 20 if they were good enough. The Greek city-states
were often at war with one another, but sometimes joined forces to fight invaders from other countries.
Elite soldiers were known as , named after their shields. They wore a metal helmet, leather or bronze breast- and back-plates and bronze
to protect their shins. They also carried a spear, a sword and a large decorated shield. Their armour was very heavy, weighing about the same as an eight-year-old child!
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