page_title: Military of Mycenaean Greece
section_title: Chariots
hierarchical_section_title: Military of Mycenaean Greece / Chariots
caption_attribution_description: English: Two helmeted warriors and chariot on a fresco from Pylos dated LH IIIA/B (about 1350 BC).
context_page_description: The military nature of Mycenaean Greece in the Late Bronze Age is evident by the numerous weapons unearthed, warrior and combat representations in contemporary art, as well as by the preserved Greek Linear B records. The Mycenaeans invested in the development of military infrastructure with military production and logistics being supervised directly from the palatial centres. This militaristic ethos inspired later Ancient Greek tradition, and especially Homer's epics, which are focused on the heroic nature of the Mycenaean-era warrior élite.
  Late Bronze Age Greece was divided into a series of warrior kingdoms, the most important being centered in Mycenae, to which the culture of this era owes its name, Tiryns, Pylos and Thebes. From the 15th century BC, Mycenaean power started expanding towards the Aegean, the Anatolian coast and Cyprus. Mycenaean armies shared several common features with other contemporary Late Bronze Age powers: they were initially based on heavy infantry, with spears, large shields and in some occasions armor.
context_section_description: The two-horse chariot appeared on the Greek mainland at least from the 16th century BC. Mycenaean chariots differed from their counterparts used by contemporary Middle Eastern powers. According to the preserved Linear B records, the palatial states of Knossos and Pylos were able to field several hundreds. The most common type of Mycenaean chariot was the "dual chariot", which appeared in the middle of the 15th century BC. In 14th century BC, a lighter version appeared, the "rail chariot", which featured an open cab and was most probably used as a battlefield transport rather than a fighting vehicle.
caption: Chariot depiction in a fresco from Pylos, c. 1350 BC.
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