10-02-2015, 07:04 PM
Hypothesis
Over the years I've often wondered whether the Roman infantry always threw their pila in a massed volley or individually, at the throwers discretion. Based on numerous sources regarding Roman battle, the legions definitely used massed pila volleys sometimes, while at other times the pila seemed to have been thrown over the course of the duration of the battle, seemingly used with little cohesion, thrown at the discretion of the thrower.
We always hear about the shock of a massed volley, but what does this really mean?
Resources
As a way of testing this experiment, I went to a hobby store and bought about a dozen 1/2" wide wooden dowels, about 4 feet long. I cushioned the tips by attaching a small tennis ball, bought at a pet store, about half the size as a normal one, which I made a small slit in, slid on, and taped down to secure. Getting hit on the body was still unpleasant but by no means was it dangerous. I marked the center of balance with a sharpie marker.
I issued the javelins out to the neighborhood children, about a half dozen, aged 7-12. Along with my wife and a neighborhood parent, we conducted a bit of practice, and in a short amount of time they became decent enough throwers for the sort of short range (10 meters or so) that I envisioned the test being conducted.
I constructed a few thureos or Parma style shields out of some scrap ply wood sheets I had in my garage, sized to the kids themselves, and issued them out. I already had some modern "replica" thureos and Republican style curved oval scutum that I had made, accurate only in size, shape, weight/balance, but not materials or construction. Using these shields, and the javelins, I got down to business.
Observations
What I found out surprised me, like how it didn't take too long to learn how to throw. One of the neighborhood kids, a precocious 11 year old with desires to someday be a soldier, especially liked the idea of learning how to throw a javelin and learn a little about ancient warfare, we spent some time just throwing it back and forth at each other on my front lawn, as a sort of game of "catch". It took him about an half an hour to get the basic form down to throw straight (which I learned online), and little by little accuracy came. Considering how little time we put in we were hardly competent, but I can only imagine what years of practice would do for skill; I can imagine a thrower could probably hit an apple thrown in the air at a 10 meters. Or make a head shot at 20 meters. Or hit a person at 30-40 meters.
I was mildly surprised how slow the javelins were, as movies like Troy had given me a false mental picture that javelins travel like rockets on a flat trajectory. Not so, the longer the throw, the more of an angle you must throw. Not to say any of us, including myself, were skillful or strong enough to throw fast and accurate, but after about 10 hours of practice in my own backyard of just throwing at specific targets 10 yards away, picking it up, throwing, repeat, my own throws didn't go anywhere close in speed to a "fast ball" pitch in baseball. I looked it up online and the fasted javelin throw, with Olympic level throwers with special types of javelins, only reaches 70 mph, which is equivalent to the fast ball pitch of a High School Freshman, so not exactly super fast.
There are many accounts during the ancient and medieval period of warriors catching javelins thrown at them and then throwing them back. I found out this wasn't too hard to do, once the timing was established. With a faster javelin coming at me, I'm sure it would have been harder. But with more skill catching it, I'm sure it was possible, as the sources confirm. I was able to, with some ease, catch javelins in mid air thrown at me.
One Thrower vs. One:
With a shield, neither opponent is much in the way of threatened. One does not even have to hide behind the shield much, just parry the javelin away when it nears. Holding the shield loosely and at an angle then battering the javelin/pila out of the way seems to be the best way to avoid penetration. Bracing the shield tightly against left knee and left elbow and shoulder, thereby making a stable 90 degree target for the thrower, is a great way of increasing the likelihood that the javelin penetrates. So loose and angled is good, rigid and flat is bad.
Multiple Throwers vs. One:
Wow. So much different, the entire dynamic changed. Even with weak children throwing relatively safe, lightweight javelins with cushioned points, I felt a bit of fear with multiple javelins being thrown together at me (I was the only target for these experiments). The biggest threats and most worrisome were those I couldn't see directly, coming from angles. The result was that a major decrease in confidence, as I was forced to hide behind my shield. And even then I worried about body parts exposed getting hit. Maybe this explains the benefit of the thureos style shield over other types, as its shape and width/length made it quite suitable for a person to hide behind completely without their head and torso, as well as appendages, being protected from missiles.
When the horde of junior javelineers threw individually I found that it wasn't too bad, aside from the ones I couldn't see. The shield definitely was necessary but I didn't worry too much. But when they threw more or less together, in a volley, it was quite terrifying. Even with their "weak" throws my brain overloaded and I was unable to track the flight of the throws. I tried to hide everything behind the shield and cringed, hoping my toes (was wearing sandals at the time) didn't get smashed. It was not a pleasant feeling and I definitely appreciated the size of the taller and wider scutum, as well as its curved shape.
For one of the tests I used one of the smaller shields I constructed for one of the smaller children, about equivalent in size to a Parma shield. In my opinion, I felt it would have been fine for unorganized missile duels but against a massed javelin volley I think it would have been inadequate, unless the carriers clustered together to form a dense shield wall.
Conclusions
After some thorough and scholary performed reconstruction ( :evil: ) I can say that massed pila volleys would be VERY effective, both physically and psychologically. Volley throws trumps individual. Though individual throws are also effective, especially when continuous from different angles and depth.
And like most wars, past and present, the incoming you don't see is usually the one that hits you. The brain wants to pick a spot directly in front to focus on, since that is the "destination." This leads to tunnel vision, whereby incoming from the flanks, even on slight angles, become hard to track with peripheral vision. So its best to throw not at the person in your direct front, but someone off to the side.
For those that don't believe that a javelin or even a pilum is capable of accuracy, I say bupkis on that. Even an 11 year old after a small bit of time was able to repeatedly throw a completely unaerodynamic and poorly balanced javelin with relative accuracy to about 10 meters, capable of hitting a man sized target. I was able to do the same, but hit a torso sized target (I had a bit more practice). Its very instinctive, like throwing a ball; the more you do it, the better you get, and you aim with the mind, not with anything physical. I am certain that someone with a bit more practice could throw further, faster, and more accurate. Considering that javelin throwing was part of the lessons a properly educated Roman experienced growing up, and that it was part of the training for a Roman soldier, and that other contemporary cultures emphasized it just as much, if not more, I am confident that thrown missile weapons were quite accurate and deadly when used in battle, more so when used in unison, as a volley.
As a method of a final "softening" of an enemy line just prior to reaching them to duke it out with sword and shield, I can think of nothing more effective than a massed volley, by rank, throwing of pila, following by a hard and fast throw, very short range, only moments before pulling a sword and clashing with the enemy infantry line.
Possible Technique for Employment
As a century formed in divided ranks, but with no need for strict file positioning, with adequate spacing between ranks to allow everyone to throw a pilum without hitting those behind them, and with adequate room to the left and right to prevent loss of movement during the throw and close combat, the Romans jog toward the enemy. Within throwing distance, 25-30 meters, and on the signal (verbal, by musical note from horn, or by example) the first rank of Romans throw one of their two pila and continue advancing at the jog, while the second rank throws at the same 30 pace throwing position and then continues jogging, and then the third, etc. The enemy ranks will then receive a volley about every two seconds as they attempt to close the distance with the Romans, forcing them to hide behind their shields and slow, or even stop, forward movement, halting their momentum and psychologically scarring them just before contact, the perfect time.
Depending on the number of ranks, all of the Roman ranks, or half, throw at least one pilum during the advance; this is predesignated before the battle either by the centurion or the tribunes. When the first rank, still jogging, gets within 10 meters of the enemy, if done correctly, the rest of the ranks behind will have already thrown their first pila. The first rankers then throw their pila at the man either directly in front of them, or two shields to the left or right, depending on guidance from officers, pre-battle. Those in the second or other ranks hold onto their second pilum, for later use in the battle, or for when they directly face an enemy threat themselves.
After casting their second pilum, the Romans of the first rank instantly, without waiting for a command, draw their sword and initiate close combat with an enemy that at best has been killed or wounded, at a minimum has been shocked by the rain of pila, hopefully with some that would have pierced his shield, making it cumbersome and unwieldy. Then its just a matter of bashing with shields and stabbing and hacking with swords.
Should a lull/pause in the battle occur and the two sides draw away, reorganize, replace first rankers as necessary (wounded, too tired), collect wounded and carry them to the back of the lines, pass spare pila forward, and repeat the close range charge and volley.
FINIS
Over the years I've often wondered whether the Roman infantry always threw their pila in a massed volley or individually, at the throwers discretion. Based on numerous sources regarding Roman battle, the legions definitely used massed pila volleys sometimes, while at other times the pila seemed to have been thrown over the course of the duration of the battle, seemingly used with little cohesion, thrown at the discretion of the thrower.
We always hear about the shock of a massed volley, but what does this really mean?
Resources
As a way of testing this experiment, I went to a hobby store and bought about a dozen 1/2" wide wooden dowels, about 4 feet long. I cushioned the tips by attaching a small tennis ball, bought at a pet store, about half the size as a normal one, which I made a small slit in, slid on, and taped down to secure. Getting hit on the body was still unpleasant but by no means was it dangerous. I marked the center of balance with a sharpie marker.
I issued the javelins out to the neighborhood children, about a half dozen, aged 7-12. Along with my wife and a neighborhood parent, we conducted a bit of practice, and in a short amount of time they became decent enough throwers for the sort of short range (10 meters or so) that I envisioned the test being conducted.
I constructed a few thureos or Parma style shields out of some scrap ply wood sheets I had in my garage, sized to the kids themselves, and issued them out. I already had some modern "replica" thureos and Republican style curved oval scutum that I had made, accurate only in size, shape, weight/balance, but not materials or construction. Using these shields, and the javelins, I got down to business.
Observations
What I found out surprised me, like how it didn't take too long to learn how to throw. One of the neighborhood kids, a precocious 11 year old with desires to someday be a soldier, especially liked the idea of learning how to throw a javelin and learn a little about ancient warfare, we spent some time just throwing it back and forth at each other on my front lawn, as a sort of game of "catch". It took him about an half an hour to get the basic form down to throw straight (which I learned online), and little by little accuracy came. Considering how little time we put in we were hardly competent, but I can only imagine what years of practice would do for skill; I can imagine a thrower could probably hit an apple thrown in the air at a 10 meters. Or make a head shot at 20 meters. Or hit a person at 30-40 meters.
I was mildly surprised how slow the javelins were, as movies like Troy had given me a false mental picture that javelins travel like rockets on a flat trajectory. Not so, the longer the throw, the more of an angle you must throw. Not to say any of us, including myself, were skillful or strong enough to throw fast and accurate, but after about 10 hours of practice in my own backyard of just throwing at specific targets 10 yards away, picking it up, throwing, repeat, my own throws didn't go anywhere close in speed to a "fast ball" pitch in baseball. I looked it up online and the fasted javelin throw, with Olympic level throwers with special types of javelins, only reaches 70 mph, which is equivalent to the fast ball pitch of a High School Freshman, so not exactly super fast.
There are many accounts during the ancient and medieval period of warriors catching javelins thrown at them and then throwing them back. I found out this wasn't too hard to do, once the timing was established. With a faster javelin coming at me, I'm sure it would have been harder. But with more skill catching it, I'm sure it was possible, as the sources confirm. I was able to, with some ease, catch javelins in mid air thrown at me.
One Thrower vs. One:
With a shield, neither opponent is much in the way of threatened. One does not even have to hide behind the shield much, just parry the javelin away when it nears. Holding the shield loosely and at an angle then battering the javelin/pila out of the way seems to be the best way to avoid penetration. Bracing the shield tightly against left knee and left elbow and shoulder, thereby making a stable 90 degree target for the thrower, is a great way of increasing the likelihood that the javelin penetrates. So loose and angled is good, rigid and flat is bad.
Multiple Throwers vs. One:
Wow. So much different, the entire dynamic changed. Even with weak children throwing relatively safe, lightweight javelins with cushioned points, I felt a bit of fear with multiple javelins being thrown together at me (I was the only target for these experiments). The biggest threats and most worrisome were those I couldn't see directly, coming from angles. The result was that a major decrease in confidence, as I was forced to hide behind my shield. And even then I worried about body parts exposed getting hit. Maybe this explains the benefit of the thureos style shield over other types, as its shape and width/length made it quite suitable for a person to hide behind completely without their head and torso, as well as appendages, being protected from missiles.
When the horde of junior javelineers threw individually I found that it wasn't too bad, aside from the ones I couldn't see. The shield definitely was necessary but I didn't worry too much. But when they threw more or less together, in a volley, it was quite terrifying. Even with their "weak" throws my brain overloaded and I was unable to track the flight of the throws. I tried to hide everything behind the shield and cringed, hoping my toes (was wearing sandals at the time) didn't get smashed. It was not a pleasant feeling and I definitely appreciated the size of the taller and wider scutum, as well as its curved shape.
For one of the tests I used one of the smaller shields I constructed for one of the smaller children, about equivalent in size to a Parma shield. In my opinion, I felt it would have been fine for unorganized missile duels but against a massed javelin volley I think it would have been inadequate, unless the carriers clustered together to form a dense shield wall.
Conclusions
After some thorough and scholary performed reconstruction ( :evil: ) I can say that massed pila volleys would be VERY effective, both physically and psychologically. Volley throws trumps individual. Though individual throws are also effective, especially when continuous from different angles and depth.
And like most wars, past and present, the incoming you don't see is usually the one that hits you. The brain wants to pick a spot directly in front to focus on, since that is the "destination." This leads to tunnel vision, whereby incoming from the flanks, even on slight angles, become hard to track with peripheral vision. So its best to throw not at the person in your direct front, but someone off to the side.
For those that don't believe that a javelin or even a pilum is capable of accuracy, I say bupkis on that. Even an 11 year old after a small bit of time was able to repeatedly throw a completely unaerodynamic and poorly balanced javelin with relative accuracy to about 10 meters, capable of hitting a man sized target. I was able to do the same, but hit a torso sized target (I had a bit more practice). Its very instinctive, like throwing a ball; the more you do it, the better you get, and you aim with the mind, not with anything physical. I am certain that someone with a bit more practice could throw further, faster, and more accurate. Considering that javelin throwing was part of the lessons a properly educated Roman experienced growing up, and that it was part of the training for a Roman soldier, and that other contemporary cultures emphasized it just as much, if not more, I am confident that thrown missile weapons were quite accurate and deadly when used in battle, more so when used in unison, as a volley.
As a method of a final "softening" of an enemy line just prior to reaching them to duke it out with sword and shield, I can think of nothing more effective than a massed volley, by rank, throwing of pila, following by a hard and fast throw, very short range, only moments before pulling a sword and clashing with the enemy infantry line.
Possible Technique for Employment
As a century formed in divided ranks, but with no need for strict file positioning, with adequate spacing between ranks to allow everyone to throw a pilum without hitting those behind them, and with adequate room to the left and right to prevent loss of movement during the throw and close combat, the Romans jog toward the enemy. Within throwing distance, 25-30 meters, and on the signal (verbal, by musical note from horn, or by example) the first rank of Romans throw one of their two pila and continue advancing at the jog, while the second rank throws at the same 30 pace throwing position and then continues jogging, and then the third, etc. The enemy ranks will then receive a volley about every two seconds as they attempt to close the distance with the Romans, forcing them to hide behind their shields and slow, or even stop, forward movement, halting their momentum and psychologically scarring them just before contact, the perfect time.
Depending on the number of ranks, all of the Roman ranks, or half, throw at least one pilum during the advance; this is predesignated before the battle either by the centurion or the tribunes. When the first rank, still jogging, gets within 10 meters of the enemy, if done correctly, the rest of the ranks behind will have already thrown their first pila. The first rankers then throw their pila at the man either directly in front of them, or two shields to the left or right, depending on guidance from officers, pre-battle. Those in the second or other ranks hold onto their second pilum, for later use in the battle, or for when they directly face an enemy threat themselves.
After casting their second pilum, the Romans of the first rank instantly, without waiting for a command, draw their sword and initiate close combat with an enemy that at best has been killed or wounded, at a minimum has been shocked by the rain of pila, hopefully with some that would have pierced his shield, making it cumbersome and unwieldy. Then its just a matter of bashing with shields and stabbing and hacking with swords.
Should a lull/pause in the battle occur and the two sides draw away, reorganize, replace first rankers as necessary (wounded, too tired), collect wounded and carry them to the back of the lines, pass spare pila forward, and repeat the close range charge and volley.
FINIS
