12-22-2010, 04:41 AM
A few brief points:
1. I agree with Giannis that the untapered dory came first, probably as a larger version of the 'dual purpose' hunting type spears (longche) carried by earlier Hoplites.
2. Later, we see tapered spears in the iconography, but it is not clear whether it was first developed for cavalry use ( e.g the 'kamax' as used by Panteios) and then adopted by some Hoplites ( but apparently not all, since the untapered type continues to appear in the iconography.) or vice versa......I suspect the tapered 'kamax' came first, to give the cavalryman extra reach, and it was then taken up by some Hoplites.
3. The use of a tapered shaft may have sprung from the use of 'coppiced' spear shafts which would taper slightly naturally.
4. The ultimate in 'rear wielded' spears, the sarissa, probably had a hollow head for lightness ( some examples of Macedonian spearhead had hollow spearheads, and it is logical to associate these with sarissas)
1. I agree with Giannis that the untapered dory came first, probably as a larger version of the 'dual purpose' hunting type spears (longche) carried by earlier Hoplites.
2. Later, we see tapered spears in the iconography, but it is not clear whether it was first developed for cavalry use ( e.g the 'kamax' as used by Panteios) and then adopted by some Hoplites ( but apparently not all, since the untapered type continues to appear in the iconography.) or vice versa......I suspect the tapered 'kamax' came first, to give the cavalryman extra reach, and it was then taken up by some Hoplites.
3. The use of a tapered shaft may have sprung from the use of 'coppiced' spear shafts which would taper slightly naturally.
4. The ultimate in 'rear wielded' spears, the sarissa, probably had a hollow head for lightness ( some examples of Macedonian spearhead had hollow spearheads, and it is logical to associate these with sarissas)
"dulce et decorum est pro patria mori " - Horace
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
