Re:Brains vs Brawn (Score 1)

"Roman matrons used to tell their sons to return with their shield or on it. This custom declined. So did Rome."

Just a quibble, but Plutarch (Moralia/Apophthegmata Laconica) 241F) attributes this to an anonymous Spartan mother:

Allê prosanadidousa tôi paidi tên aspida kai parakeleuomenê `teknon' ephê, `ê tautan ê epi tautas.' (apologies for not giving the polytonic Greek. Have a translation instead:
Another woman handed her son his shield and exhorting him said `Child, either [come back holding] this or on this')