Historically (in)accurate hoplites

[Watchman]

What sort of dagger are we talking about here? Very many varieties mostly meant for stabbing or maybe slashing though if its that big and slashy/stabby then its getting into generic blade territory.

How do you classify blades anyways? Cutting surfaces, shape, balance etc? When is a big knife a short sword and what is the difference between a bladed long dagger and a knife or sword?

Shorter blades are generally better at stabbing than slashing, on account of lacking leverage. This is particularly true for the shorter, "knife-sized" end thereof - at "shortsword" lenghts they start having enough weight and leverage that there can be practical merit in designing them for the cut.
Anyways, the line between a large dagger and a short sword is notoriously fuzzy (not that the one between "long" and "short" swords was all that clear either), and when you get down to it somewhat arbitrary - typically, a question of end-user perception and which exactly the thing is "worn as" so to speak.

[Skullheadhq]

Hoplitai Kluddolon is not THAT a good idea, so NO

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Shorter blades are generally better at stabbing than slashing, on account of lacking leverage. This is particularly true for the shorter, "knife-sized" end thereof - at "shortsword" lenghts they start having enough weight and leverage that there can be practical merit in designing them for the cut.
Anyways, the line between a large dagger and a short sword is notoriously fuzzy (not that the one between "long" and "short" swords was all that clear either), and when you get down to it somewhat arbitrary - typically, a question of end-user perception and which exactly the thing is "worn as" so to speak.

I remember an armsman once telling me that, "longsword" simply meant longer than "sword", therefore a spatha was a longsword to a Roman, and a bastardsword was a "longsword" to a medieval armsman.

[dragoon47]

That guy has already spammed so many threads, EB, XGM, etc...

I like to think of him as one of the more annoying people there, and he always uses those same two sources, the internet link and that Peter Colony book of his, yet he doesn't quote anything from the book at all, which almost makes me wonder if he may have even misunderstood the words of his own source.

I'm checking the internet for a copy of that book of his .

Also, I keep wondering this, but don't the Syracusan hoplites fight with an underhand formation? Wondering 'cuz it says so in the description yet they always fight overhand.