Plumbata

[Robert Vermaat]

Timothy,

I think you mistake the value of the plumbata. To my mind, its value isn't for piercing shields but rather by being thrown in such a way that it falls down onto the troops from above like a mortar shell. They had weight behind them and a nice sharp tip, good and lethal, I'd say, esp. on unarmored and lightly armored troops.

Are you of an age to remember the "lawn darts" called Jarts? Basically they were plumbata. They were taken off the market because too many people were injured by them. As a child, my wife got one sunk into her shoulder by her little brother hock: . Those "toys" would definitely pierce unarmored skin so I have no doubt about the value of the "real thing" :wink: .

Lucianus

Ah yes the jart. I remember a set or three of the deadly things amongst the garage toys.

Also remember as kids playing a really dumb game where we would throw them straight up in the air as high as we could just to see where they came down amongst us.

hock: I see what you mean...