12-23-2007, 09:55 AM
This is one of the most fascinating threads I've ever been on.
If I may, I'd like to bring back the subject of the menavlion. Felix, early in the thread, stated that the Praecepta Militaria quoted the length of the shaft as 1 orguia (about 6 feet) long. I've just been looking through McGeer's translation of the Praecepta in Sowing the Dragon's Teeth and the passage gives the length of the shaft as from two to two and a half spithamai (about 47-58 centimeters - 18-24 inches!)
However, McGeer believes that the passage is corrupt, and that this is supposed to be the length of the head, not the shaft.
The Taktika of Nikephoros Phokas, in the same book quotes the length as one and a half and two ourguiai (2.7-3.6 meters or 9-12 feet., according to Schilbach's calculations of equivalents). I can't see any mention of a six-foot menavlion.
If this is the case, it can hardly be a polearm in the style of halberds and glaives, but is a long, hefty spear. And in fact in the Taktika mentions the thick-shafted menavlia as being needed because a cavalry charge would shatter the normal spears used by the kontarioi.
BTW I found on another forum a picture from the Great Palace in Constantinople of two spearmen fighting a tiger,, with what might be a forerunner of the menavlion, at http://www.flickr.com/photos/derianlebreton/699783090/
PS: Peter Raftos. This is your McGeer I've got. I'd completely forgotten you'd lent it to me :oops:
If I may, I'd like to bring back the subject of the menavlion. Felix, early in the thread, stated that the Praecepta Militaria quoted the length of the shaft as 1 orguia (about 6 feet) long. I've just been looking through McGeer's translation of the Praecepta in Sowing the Dragon's Teeth and the passage gives the length of the shaft as from two to two and a half spithamai (about 47-58 centimeters - 18-24 inches!)
However, McGeer believes that the passage is corrupt, and that this is supposed to be the length of the head, not the shaft.
The Taktika of Nikephoros Phokas, in the same book quotes the length as one and a half and two ourguiai (2.7-3.6 meters or 9-12 feet., according to Schilbach's calculations of equivalents). I can't see any mention of a six-foot menavlion.
If this is the case, it can hardly be a polearm in the style of halberds and glaives, but is a long, hefty spear. And in fact in the Taktika mentions the thick-shafted menavlia as being needed because a cavalry charge would shatter the normal spears used by the kontarioi.
BTW I found on another forum a picture from the Great Palace in Constantinople of two spearmen fighting a tiger,, with what might be a forerunner of the menavlion, at http://www.flickr.com/photos/derianlebreton/699783090/
PS: Peter Raftos. This is your McGeer I've got. I'd completely forgotten you'd lent it to me :oops:
"It is safer and more advantageous to overcome the enemy by planning and generalship than by sheer force"
The Strategikon of Emperor Maurice
Steven Lowe
Australia
The Strategikon of Emperor Maurice
Steven Lowe
Australia