Book Recommendation: Greek Warfare: Myths and Realities

[floofthegoof]

How does he address the Greek aspis? The shield doesn't seem to be designed to effectively cover the man holding it. The only reasonable theory for its design is that it was intended to partially cover the man next to him. The only way this can be achieved is to have very lose ranks.

There is a passage I just read in the last 2 months that is either herodotus or plutarch, I think it's plutarch. Forgive the vagueness of my memory on this. Some Spartan was asked why it was ok to drop ones helmet or ones weapon, but forbidden to drop ones shield. He answered, "Throwing down the weapon and helmet exposes the individual, but throwing down the sheild endangers the whole army."

This statement strongly suggests a tight formation, don't you think?