Middle ranks was probably the wrong term. What I mean is that the 1st rank would be using their swords most of the time, whilst the guys immediately behind them would use spears. If you think about the positioning and stance of each of the soldiers, you will see that in order to hit someone over their shield, you need to angle your spear down. For someone who isn't in the 1st rank that would be impossible. So why carry spears at all?

Why wouldn't a good sized tower shield with a concave shape be just as good as a hoplon shield?

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