Painted Spears

[Carlton Bach]

OK, I admit this is largely because I just figured out how to 'do' proper linseed oil paint for woodd surfaces, but I was wondering. I just painted a spear for my Siculo-Norman persona and it strikes me that the Romans, with all their love of pageantry and pomp, are usually showm with unpainted spears. Often, even the shafts of signa are shown unpainted. I know that painted spear- and lanceshafts were used in the Middle Ages, but I have to admit I never gave it second thought until just now when I brandished my brand new, deep red toy and almost smashed the lamp in the corridor in sheer exuberance.

Has anyone gone looking? Any evidence one way or the other?

I'll paint my helmet next, BTW. Not a Roman one, though, don't worry.

[Tarbicus]

I'd be tempted to say yes they would have, given, as you say, they loved to look impressive. At least that's one theory which I'm personally a fan of. I'd suspect not pila, though - too easy to throw and lose. Hasta or a non-chucked type only.

As for helmets being painted, some later re-enactors do paint them, with eyes for example.

[url:7gjd1qsx]http://www.fectio.org.uk/shows/2005archeon19.jpg[/url]

[Salvianus]

The guards on the Justinian Mosaic appear to have painted spear shafts, so we do it, but I'd have to look for earlier evidence.

[caiusbeerquitius]

In Dura they found something similar to a spear shaft, which was painted wit red and blue bands, seperated by a black stripe.
Look here at me on the right:www.populares-vindelicenses.de/galerie/2005/trier/7.jpg

Meanwhile the whole group has adapted this pattern. I.P. Stephenson also suggests the spears to be painted, in his "Later Empire" he shows different patterns, though I do not know, what they are based on. Similarly Russ Cowan shows painted spears and pila in his Osprey-book.

[Flavius Promotus]

Painted spears look great (personal experience ),
[url:3rtio9nv]http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/Files/thumbs/t_guarding_the_gates__walhallafeb19th06__25__212.jpg[/url]
but were probably not standard issue. As far as I know, most (or all?) spears depicted in the Notitia Dignitatum are plain (no paint) - in contrast to the shields (but it is possible I'm talking rubbish).

Whenever I go out for marching, I have to later restore the painting in the middle section of my hasta, since the segmentata scrapes some of the paint off. This is especially the case with the huge lobate hinges of my Newstead. Since I don't want to make myself a tegimentum hastae (that would look really silly, like a skinned snake hock: ) I have to use paint and paintbrush again, and again, and...
correct - again!
Now I should perhaps have used better paint, or I should have treated the surface of the spear with fine sandpaper before painting it, but I am sure the same effect would still be there.

So, painted spears? Yes, certainly! All spears painted? Certainly not!

My two antoniniani

[Robert Vermaat]

The guards on the Justinian Mosaic appear to have painted spear shafts, so we do it, but I'd have to look for earlier evidence.

Spear-shafts in Danish bog finds were painted. Although much weapons from these bogs have been associated with the Romans, we can't be absolutely sure that they actually were Roman though.
Notitia Dignitatum, c. 394 AD. The coloring is medieval, but the tell-tale bands on the hastae longa are clear enough:
[url:wvmducyb]http://faculty.maxwell.syr.edu/gaddis/HST354/Mar18/fabricae.jpg[/url]

[Flavius Promotus]

Ok, Robert, you are right, I was talking rubbish hock:
(but the two shafts on the left look unpainted :wink: )

[FAVENTIANVS]

[Robert Vermaat]

Ok, Robert, you are right, I was talking rubbish hock:
(but the two shafts on the left look unpainted :wink: )

Not rubbish at all! (but as it happens I'm still researching such long spears so it sat already in my head )
Yes, they look unpainted, but that's my assumption - I blame the medieval copyist who did possibly not understand and left them blank. same with the 'reproduced' arms & armour in that drawing - the copyist sometime ha no clue what they were supposed to represent. The manicae look like snakes, the axes are suddenly double-bladed, etc... Hence my excuse for the blank shafts, which still retain their design though.

[emilio]

Perhaps the painted spears may have been used even before the third century A.C... :wink:

Look at this fresco in Pompeii ("House of wounded Adonis") recently restored and reopened to visitors:

https://fidest.files.wordpress.com/2015/...erito1.jpg

http://napoli.repubblica.it/cronaca/2015...63822/1/#1

arrivederci,
Emilio

[Bryan]

I'd be tempted to say yes they would have, given, as you say, they loved to look impressive. At least that's one theory which I'm personally a fan of. I'd suspect not pila, though - too easy to throw and lose. Hasta or a non-chucked type only.

As for helmets being painted, some later re-enactors do paint them, with eyes for example.

[url:7gjd1qsx]http://www.fectio.org.uk/shows/2005archeon19.jpg[/url]

Wouldn't painting a javelin shaft make it easier to find at the close of the battle? For instance, a little whitewash on the shaft and it will stand out more on the ground, easier to find when the field is policed.