Bret Devereaux

I was able to “close the door” to cover my front when squared to my opponent, and even keep the aspis’ weight on my shoulde/supported by the concavity. Also, it is excellent for punching with the rim (Even better than a center grip in some ways). 2/3

I think the Spartan practice of employing ekdromoi who did exit the phalanx and fight individually supports this position. But I don’t think this detracts from your overall point that it was the exception and not the rule. The whole series is great and thanks for considering 3/3

I don't say that the aspis is *bad* in one-on-one or open-order combat. But I do stand by the contention that it isn't excellent at it. For all of our modern sparring, I think some deference is owed to the equipment decisions made by men whose lives depended on it.

And, certainly, some open-order fighters - ekdromoi, or shipboard marines - used the aspis during the Classical period. But I don't think it is an accident that loose-order specialists - peltasts, thureophoroi - used different shields with different grips.

The second century in particular, I think, speaks to the degree to which - once exposed - the Greeks were quite receptive to the idea of equipping a *lot* of men with center-grip Gallic style shields (=thureos). Thureophoroi are *everywhere* in late-3/early-2century BC Greece