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Surprisingly, lions ain't as deadly as often thought

Do keep in mind however that they never were primary or at least sole weapons. Short swords were a part of the weapons system, which combined throwing spear, large shield and a short sword. Usage of short sword was dependant on pila, with Roman legionaries acting more like heavy skirmishers. With late legions, we see spear become a primary close quarters weapon, while ranged attack was done by using darts (plumbata) and archers. But yes, usage of short sword does seem linked to usage of rectangular scutum. When Romans transition to round shields and shield walls, we also see them switch to thrusting spears and long swords. Thing with warfare however is that you cannot reduce it to a competition of weapons systems. People matter - wars are contests between people, first and foremost, and deciding factor in battle are morale, tactics and training, with weapons being somewhere at the bottom.