[split] Phalanx warfare: use of the spear

[JaM]

i've seen another one in the past, but didnt care to reply cause it didnt seen to me as important.  Yet, i will give him credit for one thing - so far, everybody thought javelins would have to be used at the charge, from running throw.. but i could very much imagine for example Roman Legionarii using their Pila and throw it at very short range during formation closing in.. you dont need to arch it to hit the enemy...

Yet, still standing behind my opinion that if you want to fight like this, you would not use 3m long spear for it... 2m long would be enough, or even shorter.. like Zullus Iklwa or Assegai.  and also Macedonians would not bother with 5.5m long pikes to overcome Hoplite Phalanx...


my point is, that if you wanna do some historically related test, you need to use historically correct items, and use valid testing methods. Otherwise we can throw the books into trashbins and teach youtube theories at universities instead.. I would very like to see that guy using the historically correct spear, in full hoplite panoply like this for let say 15 minutes, and then we would see how he feels about it..


edit:

Oh, and btw, he claims this was how spear was used even in Medieval, yet, to my knowledge i cant remember any medieval paintings with spears held in overarm grip.