Are Military Shields (such as the Medieval Heather Shields) Much Heavier and Harder to Use than People Think? Not Just in Single Combat But Even Within Shieldwall Formation Blocks?

[LegateLivius]

Saw this post on Reddit.

 

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I ordered a Macedonian Phalangite Shield replica on Amazon last week. While its made out of plastic, its designed to be as heavy and similar in shape and size as real surviving shields from that period. When I brought int he mail box today......... The box was so heavy. After opening it, I weighed the shield and t was 12 lbs! Now it came with two insert brackets s plus a handle and a strap to that goes on your shoulder. So after inserting your arms into its brackets and gripping the far handle at the edge with the hand and pulling the straps onto your holding arm and tying it, the weapon became surprisingly easy to play around with. That said you can still feel the darn weight and I got surprisingly a bit tired walking around with it.........

Its common to see posts on Reddit and across the internet making statements that its easy to fight in a Roman shieldwall against raging charging barbarians under the belief all you have to do is just and holding the shield, let the barbarians tackle you while in formation, and wait until the enemy's charge loses momentum and the entire barbarian army begins to back off as thy lost stamina and eventually flee.

Another statement I seen online is that Phalanx Warfare of the Greek Hoplites was safe and easy because casualties are so low and all Greek warfare is about is holding the shield and pushing each other. That even if you are on the losing side, you don't have to fear death because holding your shield will protect you even if the Phalanx break apart and the enemy starts rolling forward....... That for the victors its just as a matter of holding the shield and waiting for your enemy to lose heart and start fleeing in large numbers because your own Phalanx wall won't break.............

I wish I was making it up but the two above posts are so common to see online. That shield finally having hold a Macedonian replica of a Telamon .......... It reminded me of the posts as holding the thing was so difficult due to its weigh even if I just go into a defensive stance. So it makes me wonder?

Are proper military shields meant for formation warfare like the Spartan Aspis much harder to use around even for passive defensive acts? Not just in duels an disorganized fights........ But even in formations like the Roman Testudo? Would it require actual strength and stamina to hold of charging berserkers in a purely defensive wall of Scutums unlike what internet posters assume?

Does the above 10 lbs weight of most military shields do a drain on your physical readiness even in rectangular block formations on the defense?

So I'm now intrigue. Are the Scutum and other military shields much harder than we assume to use in formation and far heavier than people think? Is the weight a major factor in victories from enemies of the Empire esp barbarian tribes in an extended battle?

[caldrail]

Can be. During the expedition into Germania by Varus in ad9 the Roman shields got so soaked by rain the soldiers couldn't use them, just way too heavy with the added weight of water. 

Note that dropping a shield was a serious military discipline offence to the Roans. I ried a reproduction shield at Vindolanda once. Not too heavy when dry, but constantly holding it up or using to bash your enemy in front of you was going to need resilient shoulders.