Ancient Greek Greaves

These pair of Ancient Greek Greaves was a piece of armor that protects the legs of ancient warriors. The primary purpose was to protect the tibia from attack. The tibia is a bone very close to the skin surface and is therefore extremely vulnerable to just about any attack. Furthermore, a successful attack on the shin results in that leg being rendered useless, significantly hampering one’s ability to maneuver.

These greaves of a metal exterior with inner padding of felt. The felt padding was particularly crucial because, without it, any blow would transfer directly from the metal plating to the shin. Greaves was mentioned in many ancient texts, and in the Illiad, the Greek forces are commonly called:

“well-greaved Acheans.”

Many skeletons have been found buried with greaves in their tombs, indicating their status in ancient society., including gladiators and soldiers.

Ancient Greek Greaves

Title: Ancient Greek Greaves
Date: 6th – 2nd BC
Material: Bronze
Culture: Ancient Greek
Museum: Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki

A Tour of the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki

A Tour of Museums in Thessaloniki

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“You don’t develop courage by being happy in your relationships every day.
You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity.”
– Epicurus

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Photo Credit: JOM