VEMBRACES

[caiusbeerquitius]

Matt, what do you base the dense formation on?
As I said above, Polybios states clearly in 18.30:

ἵστανται μὲν οὖν ἐν τρισὶ ποσὶ μετὰ τῶν ὅπλων καὶ Ῥωμαῖοι·
τῆς μάχης δ᾽ αὐτοῖς κατ᾽ ἄνδρα τὴν κίνησιν λαμβανούσης διὰ τὸ τῷ μὲν θυρεῷ σκέπειν τὸ σῶμα, συμμετατιθεμένους αἰεὶ πρὸς τὸν τῆς πληγῆς καιρόν, τῇ μαχαίρᾳ δ᾽ ἐκ καταφορᾶς καὶ διαιρέσεως ποιεῖσθαι τὴν μάχην,
προφανὲς ὅτι χάλασμα καὶ διάστασιν ἀλλήλων ἔχειν δεήσει τοὺς ἄνδρας ἐλάχιστον τρεῖς πόδας κατ᾽ ἐπιστάτην καὶ κατὰ παραστάτην, εἰ μέλλουσιν εὐχρηστεῖν πρὸς τὸ δέον

Now in the case of the Romans also each soldier with his arms occupies a space of three feet in breadth,
but as in their mode of fighting each man must move separately, as he has to cover his person with his long shield, turning to meet each expected blow, and as he uses his sword both for cutting and thrusting it is obvious that a looser order is required,
and each man must be at a distance of at least three feet from the man next him in the same rank and those in front of and behind him, if they are to be of proper use.

This goes well with the relief band on the Arch of Orange, as I said earlier.

[attachment=1539]orange1.jpg[/attachment]
Similiarly the augustan fresco from the Esqiline tomb / Statilius Taurus:


[attachment=1545]statiliustaurus.jpg[/attachment]

[attachment=1546]statiliustaurus2.jpg[/attachment]

I would not go as far as to say that the latter are really realistic, but they show some kind of consistency, which hints towards a much more open order, especially in comparison to depictions like this:

[attachment=1542]DSC05830.JPG[/attachment]
So what I am trying to say: The Romans were familiar with the mode of depicting deep close formations, but they never used it for their own troops. They rather show pairs in a sort of individual combat or a throng.

See also Aemilius-Paullus monument:
[attachment=1543]1169634880_pydnamonumentfrieze22_20051104_-565027280.jpg[/attachment]

So this is what I would bring up for a loose formation from at least Polybios up to at least Tiberius. Do we have evidence or hints for a denser formation than that described by Polybios?
The Maiden Castle skulls also make the "just stab out behind your shield" - thing rather improbable. Also, Polybios clearly states "cutting & thrusting" (above). At least four of the skulls were chopped by cuts during combat. (P2, P12, P27 and P34) and altogether at least nine were killed by cuts to the head. (Maiden Castle was taken by troops under the command of Vespasian somewhen between 43 and 47. The skeletons found on the war cemetary were from the slain defenders.)

[attachment=1544]Foto.jpg[/attachment]Maiden Castle, Skull of P34

So 1st-century-ish I rather don´t see such a dense formation which just pokes out their swords. But I am willing to be convinced of the opposite. With sources, though, please. ;-)