11-21-2011, 08:54 PM
Robert, are you sure? Round and oblong shields are rarely wider than 90 cm, so normally if you have significant overlap between shields you are closer than 2 cubits per file. (Incidentally, that translation of Vegetius has a misprint; he says that one thousand six hundred and sixty six men fit into a mile. One Roman mile is 5,000 Roman feet, and 3 x 1666 = 4998).
I'm not sure if I agree that shields, in general, are designed to overlap; do you mean late Roman shields?
Of course these numbers are approximate- soldiers probably measured the right space by eye and by using their arms as two-cubit measure- but they work as rules of thumb.
I'm not sure if I agree that shields, in general, are designed to overlap; do you mean late Roman shields?
Of course these numbers are approximate- soldiers probably measured the right space by eye and by using their arms as two-cubit measure- but they work as rules of thumb.
Nullis in verba
I have not checked this forum frequently since 2013, but I hope that these old posts have some value. I now have a blog on books, swords, and the curious things humans do with them.
I have not checked this forum frequently since 2013, but I hope that these old posts have some value. I now have a blog on books, swords, and the curious things humans do with them.