04-29-2009, 07:04 PM
Paul beat me to it, but their dorys are too innacurate to really learn anything. An 8' spear would be in the ground during half of the moves and if as many believe they were held about a third from the sauroter then this would be more marked (5+ feet of spear in front of you). Also the sweeping moves of the shield away from the body would surely get you skewered by the guy next to the one you are fighting even if you could manage to do them in formation.
We have to assume the place for such gymnastics would be after one side broke, so perhaps there are some elements of what would have been taught by hoplomachoi shown- martial arts are rife with showy moves that are less than optimum for most real world conditions.
That one segement where they stand together and rise up to strike overhand looks good to me though. I rise up like that to get my weight behind an axe blow when I chop, so maybe the added force is worth the exposure from behind your shield.
We have to assume the place for such gymnastics would be after one side broke, so perhaps there are some elements of what would have been taught by hoplomachoi shown- martial arts are rife with showy moves that are less than optimum for most real world conditions.
That one segement where they stand together and rise up to strike overhand looks good to me though. I rise up like that to get my weight behind an axe blow when I chop, so maybe the added force is worth the exposure from behind your shield.
Paul M. Bardunias
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!"
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!"
