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The issue of sarissas flexing - Printable Version

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The issue of sarissas flexing - FarDarter - 12-08-2013

Hi,
I recently came across a video(I will post the link below) demonstrating, essentially, the sarissa - not a whole lot, just one man walking around with the pike. However, the sarissa flexes quite an extreme amount, enough that I wonder that it does not snap. Which brings me to my point, is there any problems that come to having such an extreme flex in the shaft of your sarissa? I have never handled such a massive weapon, I would not know for sure. Thanks.

http://youtu.be/bKHLAYVm2B4


The issue of sarissas flexing - Sean Manning - 12-08-2013

Jack, in his article on the sarissa phalanx Peter Connolly noted that early modern pikes were made from coppiced ash (that is, one cuts the ash tree near the ground, lets branches grow 14 cubits high cropping the side branches as they appear, then cuts the bundle of branches near the ground and repeats). Coppiced wood is very stiff and strong, but the industry died in the middle of the last century and it is now very hard to obtain coppiced ash poles of the necessary length.

A bit of flex is natural in such a long weapon, and helps to explain how the points of ranks 2, 3, 4, and 5 would all end up at about the same distance from the ground as the point of rank 1. But most modern replicas are probably weaker and more flexible than the originals.

Edit: For details on experiments with a small phalanx of fifteen reenactors see Peter Connolly, “Experiments with the sarissa- the Macedonian pike and cavalry lance- a functional view,” Journal of Roman Equipment Studies 11 (2000) pp. 103-112


The issue of sarissas flexing - FarDarter - 12-08-2013

Thanks. I'll look into that.


The issue of sarissas flexing - hoplite14gr - 12-08-2013

Jack this is out group in performing a test in our participation at a fare in France.
The best people to ask about sarissa are the "Hetairoi" in Germany.

Here is my personal experience:
http://stefanosskarmintzos.wordpress.com/2012/02/09/taming-the-beast-the-modern-sarissa-experience/

Kind regards