spear or pilum?

[Paullus Scipio]

For Duncan:

Here are the relevant parts of Arrian's Contra Alani regarding the legions armament.....I haven't troubled to quote the greek in full.....

(The Legions)
"They should deploy in eight ranks and their deployment should be close ordered. And the front four ranks of the formation must be of spearmen, (kontophoroi) whose spearpoints end in thin iron shanks.( as I suggested, Arrian's words are fairly un-mistakeable...I don't think anything but a pilum fits the description.) And the foremost of them should hold them at the ready, in order that when the enemies near them, they can thrust the ironpoints of the spears at the breast of the horses in particular. Those standing in second, third and fourth rank of the formation must hold their spears ready for thrusting if possible, wounding the horses and killing the horsemen and put the rider out of action with the spear stuck in their heavy body armour and the iron point bent because of the softness. The following ranks should be of the javelineers.(longchophoroi) ( these throw their lancea overhead as part of the general 'missile barrage')

..... If they do close in though, the first three ranks should lock their shields and press their shoulders and receive the charge as strongly as possible in the most closely ordered formation bound together in the strongest manner. The fourth rank will throw their spears (i.e. the ones that end in thin iron shanks) overhead and the first rank will stab at them and their horses with their spears without pause.....