Sub-Roman Britain (Cavalry etc)

[Robert Vermaat]

Finally! Something I'm qualified in...

Are you? Why?

I believe that an elm shaft about seven feet long, sharpened and hardened in fire, was the favourite weapon of the British in the kingdom of Gwynedd and in Powys...

Indeed? Sources for that?
Elm? Not ash?

where originl Celtic culture was revived by semi-romanised Votadini settlers from the north came to hold the land.

I know that Welsh Medieval tradition speaks of the Votadini migration, but so far archaeological evidence seems to be lacking.
Besides, how can semi-Romanised people revive 'original celtic culture' (whatever you mean by that)?

Actually a Welsh tale of King Arthur had him leaning on his shield, exhuasted, after the Battle of Camllan and this guy comes out of nowhere with one of these javelins on horseback, throws it, and it slips through his armour injuring him mortally. Arthurisms aside (it was the only example I had)

You just HAD to bring the guy up again!
Source for that Welsh tale? I'm interested to hear about that horseman.

..the spear does seem to have been the staple weapon in 5th century Britain. Also in the southern kingdoms they seemed to have used spears of all different kinds with all sorts of jagged spearheads to leave nasty injuries on their way out.

Well, you may be surprised to hear this (or not), the spear (not the sword) was the main weapon of most if not all armies in Antiquity.