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Glite Dictionary
🏁 A Greek race 🏃 A Greek racer
hoplitodromos

hoplitodromos

9.9
A runner in ancient Greece who wears armor and carries a shield
  • noun
  • /hɑːˌplɪtəˈdroʊməs/
: hoplitodromo
  • The hoplitodromos trained daily to build the strength needed to run in heavy armor.

Examples

  • In ancient Greece, a hoplitodromos had to wear heavy armor.

  • During the festival, the fastest hoplitodromos was celebrated as a hero in his city.

  • Historians study the role of the hoplitodromos in ancient Greek athletic competitions.

  • The hoplitodromos sprinted across the finish line.

  • The hoplitodromos demonstrated exceptional skill as he raced while wearing full armor and carrying a shield.

  • In the ancient Greek games, each hoplitodromos ran with the heavy burden of armor to test their endurance.

  • Winning the race made the hoplitodromos famous, as it showcased not only speed but also the ability to run in armor.

Surface Forms

hoplitodromos singular
hoplitodromoi plural

Etymology

Hoplitodromos comes from Greek parts hoplit- (from hoplon, 'shield' or 'weapon', seen in the word hoplite for a soldier) and -dromos ('running' or 'race'). So a hoplitodromos was a runner who ran in armor and with a shield, which explains the modern meaning of a competitor in that heavy-armor footrace.