Why wear the sword on the right?

[Marcus Julius]

Hoplites use the sword on left side in phalanx and successive shield wall (also roman i late empire) use the sword on the left, so the pratical problems of use the left side in compress formations was not so severe to press for the change,

I had always read, that Hoplites wouldn't go to thier sword unless the Phalanx was broken. If that is the case, then they wouldn't have had the close quarter problem supposed for the legions, as they would be out of rank and file order, and have room to swing out a cross-draw.

That being said, I'm sure fashion had a lot to do with it. Just look at the oh-so-slow-to-draw crossdraw shoulder holsters for pistols that were so fashionable in the '80s! :roll: