Weight and grip of sarissa and shield in macedonian phalanx

[PMBardunias]

As Paul M-S has said, the baldric is not for the support of the sarisa. More likely it supports the shield. The hoplite, with a shield arm, grips and manoeuvrers his shield whereas the phalangite grips his sarisa. Having not re-enacted this I’m guessing but it would appear that the baldric keeps the shield’s aspect upright as the phalangite cannot grip with his left hand? Its other use will have been to sling it off the soldier’s back on the march.

Either way, if it is tight enough to support the shield in any manner, wouldn't it severely limit the range of motion of the front arm? Also, remember that many aspises are depicted with internal slings (in addition to the usual rope around the inside circumference). What is the evidence that the sling was used in battle at all? Or conversely that the shield was not simply hanging by the sling when the sarissa was employed?

It's abundantly clear from evidence that different types of shields were in use among phalangites, including the "classic" small, shallow pelte (such as the examples found at Pergamon, Florina, Staro Bonce, etc.) which was around 60 cm in diameter; the extremely convex larger shield; and the large, fairly shallow shield.

I have reason to believe that they are all simply aspises. Does anyone have the original greek of the three versions of this passage from Aelian, Arrian, And Asclepiodotus:

"The macedonian shield, made of brass, is the best. It must not be too hollow and must be 8 hands in diameter" Aelian Taktika XII

I'm interested in the nuances of translation, specifically if it can be read that the best of the shields are not too hollow- commenting on the quality of not too hollow shields- as opposed to the best of the various types of shields that can be used by sarissaphoroi being that which was not too hollow. Which is how it is usually translated and a functional explanation of the flattening aiding in holding the sarissa proposed.