Ancient Warfare Podcast · The History Network

Athenian Archers

February 20, 2026·12 min·1 clip

Murray reveals that Crete was ancient Greece's main source of mercenary archers, with cities contracting out archer units in complex agreements.

Host Murray explores the often-overlooked Athenian archer corps, answering a listener's question about their equipment, status, and role in Athenian society. He discusses the 1,600 citizen archers, the separate 300 Scythian slave police, and Crete's system of mercenary archer contracts, challenging the common perception that Greeks viewed archery as cowardly.

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