07-24-2015, 12:31 PM
Michael,
Thank you very much for that information. Apparently David Sim is recently doing very intersting research about plumbatae!
I've taken a look at my database and as it turns out, only very few plumbatae have twisted shanks. Of the grand total (163 published remains), 63.8% has a smooth shank, only 5.5% has a twisted shank, and of 29.4% I have no information (in the case of 10.4% due to the find being incomplete). If the 57 unprovenanced items known to me are included, these figures chance to 71.3%, 5.4& and 22.2% respectively.
The question rising from that low amount would perhaps best be answered by looking at the plumbata as a 'fast and dirty' weapon (perhaps best compared to the slingshot), where in most cases not much care was put in perfection. All speculation of course.
Thank you very much for that information. Apparently David Sim is recently doing very intersting research about plumbatae!
I've taken a look at my database and as it turns out, only very few plumbatae have twisted shanks. Of the grand total (163 published remains), 63.8% has a smooth shank, only 5.5% has a twisted shank, and of 29.4% I have no information (in the case of 10.4% due to the find being incomplete). If the 57 unprovenanced items known to me are included, these figures chance to 71.3%, 5.4& and 22.2% respectively.
The question rising from that low amount would perhaps best be answered by looking at the plumbata as a 'fast and dirty' weapon (perhaps best compared to the slingshot), where in most cases not much care was put in perfection. All speculation of course.
Robert Vermaat
MODERATOR
FECTIO Late Romans
THE CAUSE OF WAR MUST BE JUST
(Maurikios-Strategikon, book VIII.2: Maxim 12)
MODERATOR
FECTIO Late Romans
THE CAUSE OF WAR MUST BE JUST
(Maurikios-Strategikon, book VIII.2: Maxim 12)