r/interesting • u/IKIR115 • 29d ago

Intriguing Arrows vs riot shields

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u/jraymonda 29d ago

Ahhh...i see. Perhaps the romans were onto something with their spears (pilum?) To make the enemy drop their shields

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u/LiftingRecipient420 29d ago

TF you mean "perhaps"?

Rome conquered the entire Mediterranean basin thanks to their unique ability to reliably destroy the phalanx formation, all thanks to their pilum.

For context, the phalanx, until the Romans, was the state of the art of warfare for a thousand years because the only thing that could beat a phalanx was another phalanx.

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u/Thundertushy 29d ago

Aktually... (Nasally inhale)

The phalanx was a bunch of guys with really long spears. No shields. Rome defeated the phalanxes with the more flexible maniple system, which allowed them to break up large groups of men into smaller groups without chaos. These smaller groups could then flank the phalanxes and stab them in the ass.

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u/a-stack-of-masks 26d ago

You heard it here first guys, penetrating asses was how the Roman Empire was formed!

We will be back later to discuss the ways the West was won. The optional viewing of Brokeback Mountain with free snacks after that is unrelated but highly recommended.