Mora (military unit)

Mora (plural: morai, dt: Moren ) is the name given to the largest tactical unit in the civil army of ancient Greek state of Sparta. She testified for the end of the 5th and the first third of the 4th century BC. A Mora was divided according to Xenophon's contemporary report in four hole punching to two Pentekostien to two Enomotien, each corresponding to an age class suite of weapons duty of citizens, so ideal typical ( and apparently never reached) 40 man. Thus, the calculated strength of the team Mora of 640 men. Ancient sources also give 500, 600 or 900 to man. Modern authors also calculated, in part, in 1024 or 1280 man target strength ( Lazenby, 1985).

The large differences in the size calculation or estimation can be partly explained by the fact that the morai mostly not fully excavated, nor the excavated part was completely full. In addition, also seems the size of a Enomotie rather than 36 man full occupation to have been adopted, which leads to the desired strength of 576 men.

Before the introduction of the morai Lochoi were the biggest tactical units in the Spartan army. Whether the calculation of Thucydides to the Spartan army at the first battle of Mantinea in 418, the morai - order is already reflected not entirely clear. He writes of Lochoi as the largest tactical unit and comes to a real strength of 512 men per Lochos. It is possible that Thucydides here not simply used the Spartan name because she was not familiar with him as Athenians and as he retreated to the usual designation of the largest tactical unit.

In use, the largest tactical units were considered without regard to the real strength as morai. Usually not covered all years in the field. From the players selected vintages lacked official, the sick, the Messenger, etc. The rows were at least partially filled with minority beneficiaries and Perioikoi, but usually not to the full authorized strength. Commander of a Mora was usually an officer of the rank of the Polemarch.

The lakedaimonische citizen army included as a regular six heavily armed units morai. These came from approximately 422 more units of heavily armed National: the Brasidasleute, Neodamodeis and heavily armed helots. The units of mercenaries, allies, and light-armed troops were not called Mora. Each of the citizen army Mora was assigned to a Cavalry Unit, which was also known as Mora and consisted of 50, 60, 100 or 120 horsemen. The Reitermorai were not stand-alone tactical body, but were assigned to their respective Hoplitenmora.

After the crushing defeat of the Spartan citizen army against the Thebans at the Battle of Leuctra 371 of the Lochoi seem to have formed the largest tactical unit and the Mora as the master device disappears from the sources.