02-24-2009, 08:17 PM
Quote:1) is the weight of sarissa of similar size (say six foot) considerably greater than the pike? What about the sarissa's large spear butt?
Than what sort of pike? Considering how little we actually know for certain about the sarissa (much less than people often seem to think), I don't think we could realistically give a weight for a standard example.
Quote:2) is it possible to hold sarissa in position similar to medieval/reneissance pikemen (on the level of shoulders or head)?
Are there any evidence pointing to such practice? (only representation of phalangites holding sarissa's in "normal" (low) grip I found is plaque from Pergamon showing battle with Galatians (?))
That plaque is one of only two sources that I know of that depict phalangites in combat, and both show the same low, underhand grip.
Quote:3) is it possible in this position with sarissa only, or with the shield also? Is the weight of both not too great?
I don't quite understand what you mean by this. If you are asking whether someone could hold the sarissa in a low grip, as seen on the plaque, while also holding a shield then the answer is given on the plaque itself - yes.
Ruben
He had with him the selfsame rifle you see with him now, all mounted in german silver and the name that he\'d give it set with silver wire under the checkpiece in latin: Et In Arcadia Ego. Common enough for a man to name his gun. His is the first and only ever I seen with an inscription from the classics. - Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian
He had with him the selfsame rifle you see with him now, all mounted in german silver and the name that he\'d give it set with silver wire under the checkpiece in latin: Et In Arcadia Ego. Common enough for a man to name his gun. His is the first and only ever I seen with an inscription from the classics. - Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian
