Hi all
We hear of Romans and other peoples fighting in a phalanx like the Greeks. I wonder if they actually fought as Greek hoplites or merely adopted the equipment but not the otismosis.
The reason I am asking is that being a hoplite and taking your place in the phalanx was culturally an import at part of being a citizen and this was reflected in political structures. As phalanx was a generic word to describe any column of men with spears I have never seen anything specific enough to confirm that Romans not only fought "in a phalanx wearing Greek-like panopoly" but als fought like Greeks.
Another example would be that the Carthaginians although using an aspis-like shield did not cover their shields with bronze so would not have presented the same solid wall of bronze when in formation .
Has anyone aware of a specific enough text or am I just drawing my bow too far?