spear or pilum?

[Crispvs]

Sorry to but in again, but I thought I would address the point about auxiliaries needing javelins.

Pila were far from the only type of javelin used by the Roman army and small spearheads and large 'bolt heads' are fairly common finds on many Roman military sites. In all likelihood many or most of these are javelin heads. Therefore, there is no need to think that just because auxilia did not have the pilum they would have been without javelins. I think the opposite would have been true in fact. I get the feeling from this and the tombstone evidence that being equipped with two or more javelins would have fairly normal in many auxiliary units. These javelins do not need to have been pila.

I tend to see the pilum as something of a shock trooper's weapon. It is a heavy javelin designed to be used over a short distance. To my mind the obvious tactics for use with this type of weapon would be either to break an enemy charge at close range or to use as an immediate prelude to charging into combat with the sword. If legionaries filled the role of shock troops this might also help explain the apparent brigading of different units with each other in newly conquered areas.

Crispvs