02-02-2008, 12:54 PM
One thing that I find interesting is that according to Plutarch, Philopoemen specifically changed the shields because the thureos was too narrow. Surely a pelta is no wider, though perhaps a fairer construct of his arguement treats the pelta and body armor as a single entity in replacing the thin shields.
There surely were still hoplites near this date, since most of the Spartan citizenry were so equipped at Sellasia, so the true argive aspis can't be ruled out.
Paul M. What is the source and date of the Ptolemaic donative of shields? Its a bit odd that the young men who were melting down their silver to stud their shields and gild their breast-plates, would need a donation of peltae. This is very important, since if the reform predates the donative, then they probably were not using peltae, or why should they need them? If the donative came first, then Philopoemen's reforms are in large part due to Ptolemy!
There is an odd possibility that he reformed them into hoplites, then re-reformed, at least some of them, as sarissaphoroi not long after.
There surely were still hoplites near this date, since most of the Spartan citizenry were so equipped at Sellasia, so the true argive aspis can't be ruled out.
Paul M. What is the source and date of the Ptolemaic donative of shields? Its a bit odd that the young men who were melting down their silver to stud their shields and gild their breast-plates, would need a donation of peltae. This is very important, since if the reform predates the donative, then they probably were not using peltae, or why should they need them? If the donative came first, then Philopoemen's reforms are in large part due to Ptolemy!
There is an odd possibility that he reformed them into hoplites, then re-reformed, at least some of them, as sarissaphoroi not long after.
Paul M. Bardunias
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A Spartan, being asked a question, answered "No." And when the questioner said, "You lie," the Spartan said, "You see, then, that it is stupid of you to ask questions to which you already know the answer!"
MODERATOR: [url:2dqwu8yc]http://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=4100[/url]
A Spartan, being asked a question, answered "No." And when the questioner said, "You lie," the Spartan said, "You see, then, that it is stupid of you to ask questions to which you already know the answer!"
