07-22-2009, 06:32 AM
Quote:marka:2rjypxbj Wrote:roman enemies ie rebels would have had mail or later scale and plate.after all caesar,octavian,pompeius,crassus fought internal enemies as much as external ones.
i have read that the pila goes back to at least 3rd C BC and probably further.
might it also be something to with the barbed head of the pilum.
I have read that the pilum was developed that far cack too. Also if what read is correct then the pilum was a borrowing from the Italic tribes probably the Samnites circa 295BC. As these people developed it and had no tradition of mail, neither did their foes to a great extent then we may be justified to conclude that it was not developed specifically to combat mail.
if some early funeral reliefs are correct maybe much further back than that.
the samnites&etruscans did have metal armour,
the other reason could be that it would designed in this way so the pilum would penetrate deeply even at the edge of effective range (speculation i know)
mark avons
