Spartan Empire: Sparta itself begins to show signs of settlement only around 1000 BC. The Spartan army stood at the centre of the Spartan state, whose male and female citizens were trained in the discipline and honor of the warrior society. Subject to military drill from early manhood, the Spartans were one of the most feared military forces in the Greek world. Military families passed on their shields to each generation as family heirlooms. The Spartan’s main weapon was the dory spear. For long range, they carried a javelin.
1000 BC 3150 BC
Egyptian Empire: Typical military equipment included bows and arrows, spears, and round-topped shields made by stretching animal skin over a wooden frame. In the New Kingdom, the military began using chariots that had earlier been introduced by the Hyksos invaders. Weapons and armor continued to improve after the adoption of bronze: shields were now made from solid wood with a bronze buckle, spears were tipped with a bronze point, and the Khopesh was adopted from Asiatic soldiers.
Middle Ages (Knighthood): Personally granted an honorary title of knighthood by a monarch or other political leader for service to the Monarch or country, especially in a military capacity. A knight was a vassal who served as a fighter for a lord, with payment in the form of land holdings and food from serfs. They were skilled in battle on horseback. Knights were expected, above all, to fight bravely and to display military professionalism and courtesy. Early knights wore chain mail and tunics bearing the symbol of the order to which he belonged. By the 14th century, chain mail and tunics had evolved into full plate armor that protected the chest, arms, legs knees and feet. Quality plate armor was nearly impenetrable. The armor included a visored helmet that would often be festooned with decorative plumage. Weapons included a Broadsword, a Crossbow, a Mace, a Scimitar, a War Hammer, and even sometimes Daggers.
31 BC
1095
Roman Empire: The development of the Roman army was divided into eight phases. There were 30 legions in the Roman army each made of 5,000 soldiers. On the march the Legionary could carry between three and fourteen day’s worth of rations, a saw, a wicker basket, a piece of rope or leather, a shovel, a waterskin, a sickle and a pickaxe. Weapons included Gladius (The Roman short sword.), Pilum (The Roman javelin), Pugio (The Roman dagger)
Conquistadors: Soldiers and explorers of the Spanish Empire or the Portuguese Empire. They colonized much of the world for Spain and Portugal in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. The conquistadors were professional warriors, using European tactics, firearms, and cavalry. Their units would often specialize in forms of combat that required long periods of training that were too costly for informal groups. Their armies were mostly composed of Iberian and other European soldiers. The armament consisted of a spear, a steel shield, a helmet called a “Morion�, a hilted sword, and sometimes a horse saddle with leather shell. The introduction of the horse, and other domesticated pack animals, allowed them greater mobility unknown to the Indian cultures. The Spaniards were also skilled at breeding dogs for war, hunting and protection
1418
The Red Coats: The British Army was commonly seen as disciplined, regimented and harsh. Camp life was dirty and cramped with the potential for a rapid spread of disease, and punishments could be anything from a flogging to a death sentence. However, almost all of these men were volunteer’s. British soldiers were all armed with a smooth-bored flintlock musket with priming pan, which three feet eight inch long, fourteen pound gun that was fired from the soldier. The uniform of the majority of British regiments consisted of the familiar red coat, stockings, gaiters that rose just above the knee and a cocked hat.
1645
World War Era: The uniform and equipment used by the American soldier during the time of the Great War was unique to the early 20th Century and also adapted to the rapid changes required by modern warfare at that time. The uniform was made of either cotton or wool depending on the season, and consisted of underwear and socks, Shirt and Trousers, Puttees or “Leggings”, hobnailed Trench Shoes, the Service Coat or “Blouse”, a Trench Coat, and a Hemlet. Basic Soldiers carried both the Model 1903 Springfield .30 caliber rifle and bayonet along with the Model 1911 Colt .45 caliber pistol. Each 2-pocket magazine pouch for the pistol held 28 rounds of .45 ball ammunition in four 7-round magazines.
1914
Current: Currently, the U.S. army is divided into the Regular Army, the Army Reserve, and the Army National Guard.The army is also divided into major branches such as Air Defense Artillery, Infantry, Aviation, Signal Corps, Corps of Engineers, and Armor. The Army Combat Uniform, or ACU, currently features a digital Universal Camouflage Pattern and is designed for use in woodland, desert, and urban environments. However, Soldiers operating in Afghanistan are being issued a fire-resistant ACU with the “MultiCam” pattern. The army employs various individual weapons to provide light firepower at short ranges. The most common weapons used by the army are the compact variant of the M16 rifle, the M4 carbine, as well as the 7.62×51mm variant of the FN SCAR for Army Rangers.
Modern