Is the Short Sword and Shield Overrated?

[richsc]

Unfortunately, their opinion seems to conflict with the millions of people who came before and after them, even later Romans.

Whose opinion? this is a non-sequitur.

Compared ancient and medieval armies the Romans tend to stick out like a sore thumb. No one else seems to have used the short sword and shield nearly as much as the Romans, in fact, almost no one else seems to have used swords much as all, throughout the middle ages swords in the infantry would be worn primarily as sidearms as soldiers preferred to rely on spears or polearms.

Germans copied the short sword in the medieval period, so you're missing something here. And remember, all these other 'armies' are mostly gaggles of untrained farm folks or more warrior ethos types, who don't take to organization or have time for professional 'boot camp' training. The only exception that comes to mind is the English requirement for yeoman archery practice, which is documented in several stained glass windows.