specifics in Spear fighting combat

[PMBardunias]

Yes,the spear in single combat could be held underhand,as shown in art.

Also, remember that you have been holding your spear up and overhand for quite some time by this point, so underhand would be a relief. The problem is that you need to change over your grip to use it in this fasion or else the sauroter is facing forward.

As noted, the true overhand grip is a bit stylized and a requirement of the dense nature of the phalanx. In the open a man can strike both overarm and sidearm with the same grip, then, changing his grip, strike underhand low, underhand lateral, and underarm up over the shield rim with the spear tucked like a lancer. My SCA friends often use sweeping cuts, but I don't know how authentic this is as I have neither read of it nor seen it in art.