The Primary Weapon, Spear or Sword?

[PMBardunias]

The Romans didn't win wars because they had swords. They won because they were better organised, better trained, had better logistics, and were able to come back again and again even after severe defeats.

Well said Dan. Too often we try to reduce warfare to deterministic technology and forget the men using the tools.

I'm blanking on the battle, but I think Polybius recounts a roman battle with sword-weilding gauls where the spears of the Triarii were passed forward in the ranks and used to win the battle (by blunting and bending the swords).

Also, the Pilum was a spear, thrown or not, and a case could be made for their being the "primary" roman weapon. Romans could and did use pila in a missile duel like one uses javelins, but the manner in which the romans could use pila just prior to closing with their foes has always struck me more like using a spear- one with exceptional reach and that gives you a single thrust before being lost.