Each shield was circular and convex ... there were few casualties within the tightly packed Spartan lines, and the soldiers behind could immediately cover the gaps left by any men who did fall.

Enemy soldiers saw only a wall ... they could run the family farm. Spartan mothers told their sons before they left for battle, "Come back with your shield, or on it." Dead Spartans were carried ...

The unit's last deployment was in June of 2020 to the CENTCOM Theatre in support of Operation Spartan Shield and Operation Inherent Resolve. This time, the soldiers are heading to the Middle East ...

This pairs particularly well with the new SH-51 Direction Shield ... of a Spartan-style crested helmet and beefy pauldrons, and you can kit yourself out like a tanky, hellenic super-soldier ...