Collections: Roman Infantry Tactics: Why the Pilum and not a Spear?
acoup.blog
This week’s post is intended to answer a question which came up in response to the last post looking at the most common type of Mediterranean spear, which to put it simply is: what is up with…

To resume :

  • is a heavy javelin : throw (twice), pick up later if able, high(ish?) chance to get damaged on impact
  • great at piercing & disabling shields
  • likely useless at melee, sword & shield would have been used for that after having thrown both of them
  • uses a lot of expensive iron (steel?)