11-29-2006, 09:48 PM
The role of the menavlatoi cited by Peter raises the most questions about this weapon. If this weapon is a missile, the expected position of these soldiers was in an isolated body in front of the main mass of spearmen, throwing a short range missile against charging enemy heavy cavalry. I can think of no historical parallel to this role, which makes my very suspicious. Relying on javelins alone to stop heavy cavalry sounds extremely foolish. No missile weapon before the 19th century could be relied upon to stop oncoming cavalry; English longbowmen routinely fought behind hedges or palisades of stakes, musketeers fought with pikemen, and fusiliers fought in squares with bayonets. Heavy javelins lack range, and there is no indication these soldiers carried more than one of these weapons.
If this was merely a spear, even a stout one, the combat role remains problematic. This weapon doesn't outreach a lance; the cataphract would be stabbing the menavlatoi even before the menavlion would kill him (or his horse). Six foot spears were not the optimal anti-cavalry weapon in any culture, at any time.
Byzantine military culture was in general conservative, so I do not like the idea of radical untested theories turning up in their military manuals.
The one class of weapons that makes most sense for the role outlined above is that of a polearm. Halberds were indeed used as the primary weapon of the Swiss against the knightly forces of Austria, and the goedendag (with the pike) was used to great effect against the chivalry of France. These weapons didn't outreach a lance, but they hit hard enough to potentially kill even a heavily armoured mounted warrior, and combined with spearmen to deadly effect.
If this was merely a spear, even a stout one, the combat role remains problematic. This weapon doesn't outreach a lance; the cataphract would be stabbing the menavlatoi even before the menavlion would kill him (or his horse). Six foot spears were not the optimal anti-cavalry weapon in any culture, at any time.
Byzantine military culture was in general conservative, so I do not like the idea of radical untested theories turning up in their military manuals.
The one class of weapons that makes most sense for the role outlined above is that of a polearm. Halberds were indeed used as the primary weapon of the Swiss against the knightly forces of Austria, and the goedendag (with the pike) was used to great effect against the chivalry of France. These weapons didn't outreach a lance, but they hit hard enough to potentially kill even a heavily armoured mounted warrior, and combined with spearmen to deadly effect.
Felix Wang
