Regarding the Gladius and Mail

[CNV2855]

I want to make a fair point with this: I think this might unlock a secret to success in Roman warfare: if such a model is true, then the advantage the Romans had was that they could maintain continuous contact with experienced, veteran leadership. As such, they were unrelenting and the front of their army was constantly battering away at the enemy.

If you read the entire article, which I suggest, he even mentions that Roman leadership would throw the aquila and standards into the enemy ranks to encourage their forces forward and into the melee.