Iphicratean Thureophoroi

[PMBardunias]

If Phalanxes were used like this the hoplite's domed shield behind would probably crush the Hoplite standing in the row in front or, if standing square on, would bend his spine with the pressure! Think of two shallow rimmed bowls being stacked together but with a Hoplite's back being crushed in between!

I can see the concern, but this will not occur. The reasons for this also go a long way to explaining the form of the aspis. If they were shallow bowls you would be right, but they are not. They are closer to a box than a dome. The center of the face is highly flattened, surely less that the nautural curve of the spine, while the "shoulders" near the rim are very steep. The effect is that the aspis is essentially a ring of wood, with the "shoulder" section bearing most of the weight.

What we have is men with weight on their front being supported on upper chest and shoulder and thighs, while the weight on their back is somewhat diffuse, but falls most heavily in a band corresponding to the rim of the shield going across their upper back and the backs of their thighs.

However I don't think that would necessarily be the case. If you organise your lines so that your hoplites are all standing side on (left thigh and shoulder facing forward), as is usual in shield walls,

Saddly there are always trade-offs and the side on stance simply does not allow maximal pushing force to be transmitted to the enemy. If they pushed, and I am opened to discussion on if they did at all, but if they pushed and pushing was to be maximized, it must occur as I wrote.

I hope that helped rather than hindered your interesting discussion

Nothing but rudeness hinders discussion. My goal is nto so much that you agree with me, though that would be nice, but that you understand the true mechanics of the situation. Much has been passed off as "hoplite mechanics" that is unsupported by the actual physics involved. This is not suprising since our education system leaves history majors with little in the way of physics courses. I will say that all of the engineers I have shared my ideas about the aspis with all give me a "oh yea, of course that's how it worked."