Ancient Arms and Modern Misconceptions

The ascension of Greek societies to a higher existence, namely that of the poleis or “citizen-state,” was most notably marked, for the purposes of this discussion at least, by the rejection of weaponry. This state of civil society no longer held weapons as morally-sound images of power; instead they condemned them as ugly markers of an uncivilized past where brute strength ruled and dominated. How can respectful discourse be exchanged equally on behalf of both parties if the armed are arguing with the unarmed? Ancient Greek historian Thucydides, in his “History of the Peloponnesian War,” attributed the complete development of Athenian civilization to the end of quotidien weapon-carrying. He underscored the correlation between Athens’ elevated status as a center of trade and culture in the ancient world and the fact that it was the first poleis to give up their daily weaponry habits. Ancient Rome too, recognized the dangers to civic equality that weaponry in public spaces posed, and banned weapons inside the pomerium, or sacred city limits. Armies were forbidden from entering the city save for very special triumphal celebrations, housed instead in barracks outside the city walls. Upon entering, soldiers were generally supposed to be in civilization dress and were considered under the law as citizens, not soldiers. Even on the fateful Ides of March of Caesar’s assassination, did his killers carefully plan his death to happen outside the pomerium, at the Theater of Pompey instead of the usual Curia Hostilia.

Colonial American militia depiction

Greek militia Hoplite warfare

James Whitley’s Part II of The Archaeology of Ancient Greece, portrays ‘civil society’ in their rejection of weaponry as images of power, arguing that displays of weaponry are indicative of small kingships rather than large-scale civil society. What does this say about American society today? A paraphrase associated with Benjamin Franklin’s reflections on Greek law and order from the early 19th century holds, “Let the laws rule alone. When weapons rule, they kill the law.” It seem that the idea of our Founding Fathers to protect a citizen’s right to maintain a militia and bear arms (if their aim was truly to mirror ancient Hellenistic democratic ideals as modern perceptions hold it to be), has been effectively misrepresented in today’s day and age to serve more nefarious purposes. This right was far more applicable in Ancient Greece when the citizen elite who could afford to arm themselves fought for glory in protecting their poleis; or later on during the pioneer days of early colonization, when guns and militias were sometimes the only form of necessary protection available. Benjamin Franklin and Julius Caesar would likely be horrified to see the manner in which basic functions of civil society have been perverted to enable weaponry usually reserved for extreme military warfare handed out within city boundaries to anyone who wants a weapon to wave around.