Quote Originally Posted by BigTex
The reason the shortsword and scutum worked was that they were cost effective. Cost effective enough that if one legion was defeated, you could easily raise another with more shortswords and scutums. Personally I think the scutum is far more effective then the gladius hispanius ever was. Big, plywood shield, encases in leather and the edges protected by bronze.
...Sounds convincing.

Quote Originally Posted by NeoSpartan
The problem was with the Celts Ceasar & other Imperial Romans encoutered were mostly rookies and who got REAL close to the legions, so close that they can't wield their swords properly and get stabbed.

Oh and don't forget by 400BC the roman legions used the Hasta (a longsword) as their main infantry weapon. BUT they no longer fought like the legions of Ceasar, Titus, etc.
Gauls at Telamon are not fresh greens I believe... Superiority of Roman arms at Telamon is maybe another one of those Roman boasts I guess...

BTW, out of topic though, wasn't hasta a Roman name for spear and spatha a name for Roman cavalry longsword?