In the combat study, soldiers fought on foot and in chariots, using replica weapons including a spear with blunt edges and a point, and spent a lot of time walking and riding in chariots. They also followed a meal plan created by the researchers, which included a breakfast consisting mainly of dry bread, goat cheese, green olives and red wine.
They could not wear Dendra armor, which dates back to around 1450 BC. Instead, the soldiers wore a copper replica, the closest alloy to the original bronze available, the study says. The replica was made in 1984 by students and staff from the metalworking department at the now closed Bournville College of Art in Birmingham, England.
Wanted: soldiers as big as the ancient Greeks
The researchers looked for Marines who had similar body proportions to elite soldiers of the time for the simulated battles, which took place in 2019.
The 13 unpaid volunteers recruited were all men in their 20s and 30s, averaged about 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighed 163 pounds.
The soldiers received two days of training before the day of combat, which began with a 5:30 a.m. wake-up call. Their physiological data was monitored throughout the day, and the study found that they were able to fight with the armor, which weighs 23.3 kilograms (or more than 51 pounds).