Continuity of Greek shields

[Paullus Scipio]

I would have to agree with Matthew here, as Paul already knows from personal discussion. Much of this theory regarding Greek-style shields ( over elaborate as Matthew suggests) is related to what I consider to be the equally extreme form of 'Othismos' which Paul advocates, citing 'crowd mechanics' theories and pressures. The trouble with this is that 'crowd mechanics/forces' always occur in confined spaces like stadiums etc where the crowd comes up against some solid object such as walls or is funneled through a bottle-neck such as an emergency exit in a fire.Conditions on a battlefield are nothing like this and 'crowd mechanics theory' with it's massive pressures does not, in my view apply generally beyond the extent we read about of bodies being kept upright by the closeness of the press in battle, or the possible crushing/suffocation which may have ( we are not told) taken place at Cannae, and even these examples are extremely rare......certainly not the massive pressures causing mass death that 'crowd mechanics' deals with, as a deliberate part of 'Hoplite Warfare', but one should go no further here on this forum.....the 'Othismos debate' has raged for years, and is no closer to resolution..... and Pauls' theories are at an extreme end of the spectrum.

Whilst I would agree the 'aspis' was made the way it was for structural strength reasons, I do not believe it was designed so that the Hoplite would not be suffocated/crushed whilst deliberately generating the massive crushing forces of 'crowd mechanics......not least because a reading of the ancient accounts/sources does not seem to support Paul's ideas as a deliberate tactic ( debateable, I know,( sigh!). ( ? ?