The role of mercenaries in international conflicts: from Classic Greece to contemporary private military companies/El papel de los mercenarios en los conflictos internacionales: de la Grecia clásica a las compañias militares privadas de hoy/O papel dos mercenarios nos conflitos internacionais: da Grecia Classica as companhias militares privadas de hoje

This paper aims first to explain the role of mercenaries in contemporary international conflicts, especially as actors with great capacity to determine the conflict's dynamic and outcome; and, second to provide an objective vision of the private use of force. The methodology used an analysis of nature, context and organizational structure of mercenary armies from Classic Greece to the new forms of corporate mercenarism, for instance private military companies. Conclusions show that this type of actors constitutes a characteristic element in international conflicts.