![]() In particular, I factor the spear's complementary role into the aspis's defensive posture and suggest a new understanding of their use and design. (Though proficient in "Eastern" styles, I am conversant with "Western" traditions, and my approach uses principles basic to both). Starting from (researched reconstructions of) the aspis and spear, I investigate their use with an eye to combat practicality, drawing upon my training with ancient weapons. This presentation attempts to address these problems. Thirdly, scholars often reverse engineer the aspis's use from ancient sources that can be interpreted different ways (again, understandably). Second, the scholars debating what is feasible for hoplite combat have little practical experience with ancient weapons (understandably enough). Certainly, the evidence supports treating them as a unit. But this debate suffers from three critical problems: First, it invariably discusses the aspis independently from the spear, when they likely worked together (which changes the aspis's handling). Scholars debate whether the aspis's weight and breadth restricted movement, thereby making it suitable only for compact phalanx tactics, or whether it was lighter than many have estimated, thereby allowing enough mobility for single combat and a looser phalanx. Unfortunately, however, we remain unsure how they were used. ![]() It was discovered in 1830 near Bomarzo in Lazio, central Italy.Though much of a hoplite's gear changed over time, his spear and round double-grip aspis remained a constant that defined him. Such shields did not tend to survive the passage of time very well, and only one aspis has survived into modernity with sufficient preservation to allow us to determine the details of its construction: this shield is called the "Bomarzo" or "Vatican" shield, and it is currently located in the Vatican, within the Museo Gregoriano Etrusco. ![]() The shield had a convex face, like that of a shallow bowl. It was theorized they were designed for a mass of hoplites to push forward into the opposing army, a move called othismos, and it was their most essential equipment, though this is now an outdated theory. The shield rested on a man's shoulders, stretching down to the knees. This allowed hoplites more mobility with the shield, as well as the ability to capitalize on their offensive capabilities and better support the phalanx. Known as an argive grip, it placed the handle at the edge of the shield and was supported by a leather or bronze fastening for the forearm at the center, known as the porpax. The revolutionary part of the shield was, in fact, the grip. This large shield was made possible partly by its shape, which allowed it to be supported comfortably on the shoulder. ![]() The aspis measured at least 0.9 metres (2 ft 11 in) in diameter and weighed about 7.3 kilograms (16 lb), and it was about 25–38 millimetres (0.98–1.50 in) thick. The convention was to decorate the shield. Some had a thin sheet of bronze on the outer face, often just around the rim. Construction Īn aspis was deeply dished and made primarily of wood. Hoplitodromos with aspis and full body armour depicted in a Greek vase dated to 550 BCĪn aspis ( Ancient Greek: ἀσπίς pl.: aspides, ἀσπίδες) or porpax shield was the heavy wooden shield used by the infantry in various periods of ancient Greece. ( March 2022) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. This article possibly contains original research.
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