A well-equipped soldier has everything he needs to face a battle.
Equipment is a notion that refers to someone who has equipment . This is the name given to instruments , tools and devices that are needed to carry out a certain action.
The action of equipping, meanwhile, consists of specifying the preparations to execute a project . Only once these preparations are completed can it be said that the subject is already equipped.
For example: “I'm already equipped for camp! I have my backpack ready” , “The platoon advanced through the jungle, equipped to enter combat when necessary” , “Unfortunately we were not well equipped to carry out an expedition of this type” .
The concept of equipment in the military and outdoor life
The most frequent use of the concept of equipment refers to the preparation of an army or other combat force . Soldiers must have weapons, food, shelter, logistical resources and other objects to be equipped and in a position to face a battle.
A person who decides to take a trip through a natural environment also has to be equipped. Depending on the terrain chosen, you will need to have different tools, although in general terms you can mention supplies such as drinking water, food, a compass, a knife or other sharp element, some communication equipment, a map, etc.
It is common for the notion to be used together with a qualifier that judges the preparation in question. When the preparations were adequate, we speak of someone who is “well equipped.” On the other hand, if the steps prior to the campaign or action are deficient, it will be “poorly equipped” : “To make the revolution, we need well-equipped men willing to leave everything for the ideal,” “It is impossible to succeed with a poorly equipped group .” equipped like this one.”
The Spartan army was very well equipped.
The Spartan army
When looking for an example of a well-equipped army, the Spartan often comes up, which has gained special notoriety in recent years thanks to the movie "300" . The training of Spartan soldiers was so rigorous that it began from their gestation: their mothers had to carry out a series of demanding exercises while they were pregnant so that their children were born strong and robust.
If the mothers' preparation was not successful and the boy or girl was born weak, then their lives were taken. Otherwise, male children were separated from their mothers at the age of 6 and sent to boarding schools where they received very strict discipline to become soldiers.
The education of future soldiers was carried out by citizens experienced in combat and focused mainly on physical preparation, to the detriment of academic training . Young people were forced to walk barefoot and be naked to become stronger and more resistant. They received less food than necessary, to encourage them to steal; When they were caught taking other people's food, however, they were punished, although not for the act itself but for the lack of discretion. This hard lesson prepared them to search for supplies in the midst of the harsh battles that awaited them.
Two of the elements present in the equipment of a Spartan soldier were the following:
- The aspis (a shield) : no army can be considered well equipped if it does not have a shield . The aspis was a bowl with little curvature made from sheets of wood and exterior decorations in metal or paint. Its weight was between 6 and 8 kilograms and it had a diameter that could measure between 90 centimeters and 1 meter.
- The breastplate : it was built with linen and bronze scales were added. Several leather straps allowed it to be fastened at the height of the shoulders, chest and abdomen. A metal breastplate served to protect the center of the soldier's torso and could also have a leather layer for the lower part. The Spartan armor was resistant and provided great flexibility to combatants.