01-18-2008, 01:46 AM
Matt wrote:-
Quote:It's a very interesting article- the main thing I came away with was that the broad-tanged pilum, which everyone recognizes, actually wasn't used past the BCE-CE transition, unlike the spike-tanged and socketed types, which continued to be used for a long time.....I don't think this can be correct, Matt.It may be true that archaeological examples are in short supply, but the 'tanged' type is certainly still in use c.100AD - see for example the Cancellaria relief (conveniently pictured on another 'pila' thread currently running), where the tanged 'oberaden' type is clearly shown, with the addition of a ball weight, often assumed to be lead, but I think such a tennis ball sized weight would be too heavy if of lead......
"dulce et decorum est pro patria mori " - Horace
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
