The "Fred thread": the Argead Macedonian Army

[PMBardunias]

...that is because, simply put, the shield is being used in what may be termed "post sarissa" mode. This particular soldier is fighting with sword etc. The photos you attached quite clearly shows that 'Macedonian' shields had porpaxes....

I don't think anyone is saying that macedonian peltae didn't have porpaxes, I surely would not. I think Ruben is suggesting that an old fashioned aspis can be made to service as a shield for sarissaphoroi if you turn the antilabe into a 'porpax' and pass some half of the forearm through it in order to have the hand clear the rim. This is something that can be done, but if it would have been done by men who faced battle with such an unweildy thing is another matter entirely. I would prefer to simply saw the whole shoulder and rim section off my aspis, then fold over the bronze. This would no longer have the integrity of an aspis or even a properly made pelta, but would be better than the many flat plank shields used successfully by a wide variely of cultures. A poor quality shield you can move in the way of an oncoming weapon is better than a high quality wooden cape.

As to "modes" of use for the shield above, for this shield to have another mode, you would have to abandon the porpax, because clearly this man's arm cannot extend to the shield rim with his arm in the porpax shown. I agree with you that this is unlikely. More likely this is simply not a shield for sarissaphoroi- note there is no strap either. It may be of the same style as a Macedonian peltae, simply set up differently internaly.