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Abstract

In the history of Indo-European peoples warriors were known to possess characteristic physical and ethical features which went together with special social status. This is undoubtedly true of ancient Greeks. According to Homer characters who made heroic feats depicted in his books had moulded their personality in accordance with requirements of arete and battle was the best means to achieve this end, even though particular ways of obtaining it were heavily affected by subjective considerations. The individualism of the epic heroes can best be seen in the freedom they enjoyed to choose any method of fighting that suited them at the moment. The highest credit, however, was given for the fortitude displayed in a duel monomachia, which often awarded the warrior with eternal fame. But in exceptional circumstances the heroes resorted to guiles mētis or ambushes dolos. We have no ground to believe, therefore, that any kind of „chivalry code” was observed at that time.