An Analysis of the Nature and Circumstances of Early Mycenaean Warfare Based on a Study of the Pre LH IIIB Mycenaean Shields

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to produce a definitive study of how the Mycenaean full body shields impacted on Mycenaean warfare and answer the question "is the current understanding of the how the Mycenaean tower shield was historically used accurate?" In the process this thesis will look at how Mycenaean military was organised, the role it played in the society of the time, and how warfare was physically waged – researched through the mediums of documentary evidence and weaponry. As the swords of this period and spears in general have received recent attention in publication, this thesis will focus on that most unique of early Mycenaean defensive armaments, the full body shields of both tower and figure-of-eight design. This thesis is an original contribution to the period being studied, and will make use of all resources at its disposal to arrive at its conclusion.