04-11-2009, 10:45 PM
Quote:He does indeed suggest a stance sideways on to the enemy tilted just enough to strike with the rear hand, not a 3/4 stance like I thought. That's strange.
From the same period we have statues showing the odd- fencer-like stance and those showing a more natural stance. For what my opinion is worth, if we know that the odd stance is commonly seen for non-hoplite depictions on bas reliefs from Egypt and Assyria (such images are easy to find) then artistic style would seem the most logical explanation for the pose. To me, the other depictions, that look like what you would expect for a fighting stance, have far less reason to be anything but accurate.
Send me an email and I'll send you a copy of a scathing review that Wheeler did of one of Van Wees books. He says it better than I could.
Paul M. Bardunias
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A Spartan, being asked a question, answered "No." And when the questioner said, "You lie," the Spartan said, "You see, then, that it is stupid of you to ask questions to which you already know the answer!"
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A Spartan, being asked a question, answered "No." And when the questioner said, "You lie," the Spartan said, "You see, then, that it is stupid of you to ask questions to which you already know the answer!"
