specifics in Spear fighting combat

[PMBardunias]

The limited evidence of the hoplomachia instructors in the Platonic dialogues would argue that such flexibility was possible (specifically Stesilaus who fights with the unprecedented spear and scythe).

The dorudrepanon was a pirate's weapon- with its own hazards if Plato is to be believed. It probably was fairly common in that context for cutting rigging. Greek navies spent a lot of time siezing merchant ships of thier foes.

I think we need to be very wary of what are argued to be artistic conventions on the one hand and at the same time disreagrd specific artistic details (such as an underhand grip) which don't fit with a modern theory.

I don't think anyone would argue against there being various underhand strikes and possibly lots of spectacular martial arts-type moves. I would argue that they are inapplicable to phalanx combat and, as we read in Laches, only useful when one side has broken. This phase of combat should not be forgotten, the battle doesn't end when one side gives way. It is then that you are most likely to die in battle.

If you are an artist showing individual combat, then this is exactly the phase of batgtle most like what you wish to depict. Also, single combat was not unheard of even into this later period, so hoplomachia would help there as well. In general I am far more troubled by artistic convention is attempts to show mass combat than I am in individual dual scenes.