Arrangement inside maniple: Vegetius

[Robert Vermaat]

Very very interesting Robert! Here on Rat you guys always provide very good information.

Our pleasure!

in Sunaspismòs the interval of 1,5 feet was between soldier's left shoulder to the right shoulder of his next comrade (and it should correspond to the three feet indicated by Vegetius as the space occupied by a legionary), and it doesn't represent the complessive space occupied bu each soldier (wich wouldn't have allowed any movement), does it?

If I read Wheeler correctly, he goes by the latter: synaspismos is a very dense formation where the soldier stand shoulder to shoulder. Indeed a man is standing half-turned, one leg forward supporting the shield, which is overlapping the shield next to him.
If there had still been one cubit between each man, I think that changes of front would still have been possible.