Looking for the name of these Roman ??.

[stevesarak]

Ave,

I just picked these Roman ?? up and was wondering if anyone can tell me their name. I know they were used to slow down the enemy by throwing them in their path.

Thanks

[stevesarak]

Sorry there's no picture. I keep getting "Sorry, you have reached your maximum Upload Quota Limit of 500 KB" even thought the picture is only 24kb.

the items are little four sided spikes. when you throw them on the ground, there's always one point, pointing upwards to step on.

[Jona Lendering]

They are called "crow's feet" or "caltrops", I think.

[D B Campbell]

Sounds like a caltrop or tribulus.

Vegetius (3.24) mentions them as an anti-chariot device, but it was really the horses that were targetted:
"The caltrop is a defence made of four spikes joined together, so that, whichever way you throw it, it stands on three spikes and is made hostile by the fourth (which is) erect" (Tribulus autem est ex quottuor palis confixum propugnaculum, quod, quoquomodo abieceris, tribus radiis stat et erecto quarto infestum est.)

[stevesarak]

One is 6.5 cm or 2.5 inches the other is 5.5 cm or 2.1 inches.

Would they still be "crow's feet or caltrops" or a tribulus?

Thanks

[stevesarak]

Did some research from the names you supplied and yes that’s what these are.

Thanks

[Matthew Amt]

Just so you know, caltrops identical to these were used right through the middle ages and much later. The same things are found on Revolutionary War sites, probably on 19th century sites as well. And they'd be very easy to fake for a modern con artist, too.

It's your money, but I would NEVER buy something (especially from ebay!!) just because it looked neat and was called "Roman". The market is full of fakes and mis-labelled stuff, and the actual antiques are often looted and illegally exported. Caveat Emptor.

Vale,

Matthew

[stevesarak]

Just so you know, caltrops identical to these were used right through the middle ages and much later. The same things are found on Revolutionary War sites, probably on 19th century sites as well. And they'd be very easy to fake for a modern con artist, too.

It's your money, but I would NEVER buy something (especially from ebay!!) just because it looked neat and was called "Roman". The market is full of fakes and mis-labelled stuff, and the actual antiques are often looted and illegally exported. Caveat Emptor.

Vale,

Matthew

But if they say its real then it must be, right?

Just kidding, I couldn't agree with you more. How many Viking swords have we seen there sold as Roman.

I picked these up at the last Hermann Historica auction.

[Narukami]

These were also used by the Ninja in feudal Japan.

They seem to be a fairly common and universal military item.

Narukami

[Marius_Ursus]

These were also used by the Ninja in feudal Japan.

They seem to be a fairly common and universal military item.

Narukami

Yeah, I used them in Panama against the Panamanian tank corps, but I couldn't figure out why they wasn't giving their tanks flat tires...

[Narukami]

Marius Ursus,

You might have had better luck had Panama been using the new Stryker for its armor forces.

Hmmm...I wonder if the caltrop might make a re-appearence on the battlefield? :wink:

Narukami

[Arngrim]

Marius Ursus,

You might have had better luck had Panama been using the new Stryker for its armor forces.

Hmmm...I wonder if the caltrop might make a re-appearence on the battlefield? :wink:

Narukami

I believe the Ninja name is "tetsubishi" (or is that a "hammer-blow"? I haven't trained Ninpo -Taijutsu for nigh two decades..).

I think it´s very likely that caltrops will reappear on the battlefield since most countries has outlawed anti-personnel mines. They are relatively cheap to produce, can be stored indefinitely and is relatively easy to recollect with metal detectors when the war is over. Besides, its a more humane weapon than a mine, since while it takes out the combatant stepping on it for weeks, it will not cost him his leg (if treated properly).

[Narukami]

Arngrim,

You are quite right.

The Japanese call them Tetsu-bishi (Don Draeger Ninjutsu 1971) and they are essentially the same as their European counterpart.

As to your idea that they might return to the battlefield as a replacement for the explosive landmine -- very interesting. A version of the caltrop was used quite effectively in Vietnam (punji stakes). Thought not exactly the same the effects were.

Actually I was making a rather obscure joke in reference to the fact that the US Army's new Stryker is a wheeled combat vehicle as opposed to one using tracks. (The adoption of this vehicle continues to be passionately debated even though the ship has sailed on this decision.)

I think your reasoning for re-introducing the Tetsu-bishi is sound, but I have my doubts. The US Army has evidenced no inclination to give up their mines, more's the pity. Even so, a good idea Arngrim.

Narukami

[Arngrim]

I think the main reason the US don't want to ban the use of anti-personnel's mines is the front line separating North and South Korea. Without them the defense of South Korea would be far more costly both in troops and otherwise. Besides the deterrence value. Crackpot dictators seems to be severely lacking in common sense and judgment.

As for the wheeled AIFV´s, i think that the new military tires are puncture proof anyway.

Back to the subject; Sweden used caltrops at least trough the Great Northern war 1700 - 1721, if that's of interest to anyone.

(Why does the spell check want to replace caltrop with clitoris? My memory might be a little foggy on the subject, but i have not found any great similarity.)

[tlclark]

Marius Ursus,

You might have had better luck had Panama been using the new Stryker for its armor forces.

Hmmm...I wonder if the caltrop might make a re-appearence on the battlefield? :wink:

Narukami

Earth firsters and ALF use them all the time to sabotage logging roads, bike trails, etc. They spread thousands across the trails of the Vegas to Barstow Best in the desert series. They are horribly nasty on motorbikes and logging trucks.

Travis