However, his soldiers gather around him and form a barrier with shields, “…friends crowd around him, supporting their shields against their shoulders , their spears brandished high…” (11.563-565). ). This type of war cannot be random; a hoplite must train for such a confrontation. In book eight of the Iliad, Ajax's brother is described hiding behind Ajax's shield and drawing out fiery arrows then returning behind the shield (8.266-334). This requires incredible coordination and training between soldiers to be as effective as in the Iliad. The same style is found in Tyrtaeus's depiction of the Spartan phalanx from the 7th century. There are several passages which describe dense masses of soldiers huddled together evoking this image of a hoplite phalanx.