Archaeopolis photographic archive · Athens Hoplites Project

Historical martial arts · Athens · 2017–2018 archive

Documented project record

Athens Hoplites Project

An Archaeopolis initiative dedicated to the practical study of Ancient Greek swordsmanship through research, structured lessons, reconstructed equipment and controlled training.

Archaeopolis initiative

Archaeopolis contribution

What we delivered.

Historical martial practice as a contemporary discipline

Development of a dedicated training programme for the study and practice of Ancient Greek swordsmanship.

Training, equipment and embodied research

Combination of archaeological imagery, historical equipment, protective training methods and repeated technical drills.

A complete visual and campaign identity

Creation of the Athens Hoplites visual identity, training apparel and a recognisable Minotaur emblem for the initiative.

An archive connecting practice with its sources

The surviving archive documents lessons, shield-and-sword exercises, equipment, group practice and the visual sources used in research. Exact terminology for individual techniques remains subject to continuing research.

Campaign identity · Athens · 2017–2018

Your Martial Arts Journey
Through Centuries.

The Athens Hoplites Project campaign translated practical sword training into a direct contemporary invitation. Male and female practitioners carry reconstructed-inspired equipment against a vivid blue field, presenting historical martial arts as an active, inclusive discipline rather than a distant museum subject.

Athens Hoplites Project campaign poster showing an armoured male sword practitioner with a blade and round shield — Campaign 01Armour, sword and shield.Athens Hoplites Project · Athens · 2017–2018 archive

Athens Hoplites Project campaign poster showing a female sword practitioner holding a blade against a blue sky — Campaign 02A woman enters the martial journey.Athens Hoplites Project · Athens · 2017–2018 archive

Project archive · 46 selected images

Training, identity
and source material.

The archive moves from practical lessons and controlled shield-and-sword work to apparel, project identity and the visual sources that informed the programme.

Athens Hoplites students practising an overhead sword drill in the training hall — 001Group Sword Drilltraining · Athens, Greece

Two Athens Hoplites students training with swords, helmets and reconstructed shields — 002Paired Shield Sword Drilltraining · Athens, Greece

Protective sword-and-shield sparring during an Athens Hoplites class — 003Helmet Shield Sparringtraining · Athens, Greece

Instructor demonstrating a high sword guard during Athens Hoplites training — 004Sword Guard Demonstrationtraining · Athens, Greece

Instructor demonstrating a guard with a curved training blade — 005Curved Blade Guardtraining · Athens, Greece

Students practising paired sword technique in the Athens training hall — 006Paired Sword Trainingtraining · Athens, Greece

Athens Hoplites group lesson with students working in pairs — 007Group Sword Classtraining · Athens, Greece

Student rehearsing a two-handed overhead guard during sword training — 008Solo Guard Practicetraining · Athens, Greece

Athens Hoplites members presenting reconstructed round and crescent shields — 009Shield Collection Grouptraining · Athens, Greece

Training group holding reconstructed shields and practice swords — 010Training Group Shieldstraining · Athens, Greece

Students repeating an overhead sword cut in formation — 011Overhead Sword Drilltraining · Athens, Greece

Athens Hoplites students performing a synchronised sword drill — 012Synchronised Sword Drilltraining · Athens, Greece

Student holding a forward sword guard during class — 013Forward Sword Guardtraining · Athens, Greece

Student practising controlled movement with a curved training blade — 014Curved Blade Practicetraining · Athens, Greece

Sword class practising an overhead guard together — 015Group Overhead Guardtraining · Athens, Greece

Close paired exercise combining shield defence and sword control — 016Shield Sword Contacttraining · Athens, Greece

Helmeted students practising controlled close-range sword contact — 017Close Helmet Sparringtraining · Athens, Greece

Two students sparring with reconstructed shields and practice swords — 018Shield Sword Sparringtraining · Athens, Greece

Athens Hoplites training group posed with its reconstructed shield collection — 019Club Group Shieldstraining · Athens, Greece

Controlled sword bout between two Athens Hoplites practitioners — 020Controlled Sword Bouttraining · Athens, Greece

Paired sword exercise supervised during an Athens Hoplites class — 021Paired Sword Bouttraining · Athens, Greece

Instructor reviewing sword technique with students in the training hall — 022Classroom Technique Reviewtraining · Athens, Greece

Front and back presentation of the black and orange Athens Hoplites sports shirt — 023Sports Shirt Front Backidentity · Athens, Greece

Athens Hoplites training shirt design with Minotaur identity and orange side panels — 024Training Shirt Designidentity · Athens, Greece

Black Athens Hoplites track-pants design with orange project emblem — 025Track Pants Designidentity · Athens, Greece

Two Athens Hoplites members wearing project shirts outdoors — 026Outdoor Club Shirts Frontidentity · Athens, Greece

Back view of Athens Hoplites shirts showing the orange Minotaur emblem — 027Outdoor Club Shirts Backidentity · Athens, Greece

028Minotaur Project Logoidentity · Athens, Greece

Official Athens Hoplites campaign banner featuring an armoured male swordsman and the line Your Martial Arts Journey Through Centuries — 029Martial Arts Journey Male Banneridentity · Athens, Greece

Official Athens Hoplites campaign banner featuring a female sword practitioner and the line Your Martial Arts Journey Through Centuries — 030Martial Arts Journey Female Banneridentity · Athens, Greece

Official typography-only Athens Hoplites campaign banner reading Your Martial Arts Journey Through Centuries — 031Martial Arts Journey Typography Banneridentity · Athens, Greece

Research drawing of an armoured warrior carrying a sword and decorated shield — 032Armour Sword Source Drawingresearch · Athens, Greece

Research drawing documenting sword suspension and warrior equipment — 033Warrior Equipment Source Drawingresearch · Athens, Greece

Research drawing showing a sheathed sword in its historical dress context — 034Sheathed Sword Source Drawingresearch · Athens, Greece

Research drawing showing a curved blade carried at the warrior's side — 035Curved Blade Source Drawingresearch · Athens, Greece

Illustrated sequence of reconstructed Byzantine sword guards — 036Byzantine Guard Sequenceresearch · Athens, Greece

Illustrated sequence of sword-and-hand-shield techniques — 037Sword Shield Technique Sequenceresearch · Athens, Greece

Ancient pottery scene used as a visual source for sword combat research — 038Ancient Pottery Sword Duelresearch · Athens, Greece

Ancient pottery detail showing an armoured swordsman in motion — 039Pottery Armoured Swordsmanresearch · Athens, Greece

Ancient pottery scene depicting two warriors in close combat — 040Pottery Warrior Duelresearch · Athens, Greece

Black-figure pottery scene depicting a sword duel — 041Black Figure Sword Duelresearch · Athens, Greece

Museum record and inscription for an ancient statue of a wounded youth — 042Youth Statue Inscriptionresearch · Athens, Greece

Close detail of the head and upper body of an ancient reclining youth statue — 043Reclining Youth Statue Detailresearch · Athens, Greece

Marble statue of a youthful athlete with one arm raised — 044Athlete Statue Raised Armresearch · Athens, Greece

Close view of an ancient bronze statue head used for anatomical research — 045Bronze Statue Headresearch · Athens, Greece

Marble horse statue photographed as a reference for historical movement and form — 046Marble Horse Statueresearch · Athens, Greece

Evidence register

Claims, linked to source.

Each case brings together official sources, contemporary coverage and the Archaeopolis project archive, with the origin of every record stated clearly.

Training archive