Byzantine Weapons and Warfare

[Paullus Scipio]

Steven wrote:-

While some throwing weapons (such as the pilum) have been heavy, there is a considerable parallel tradition of fairly light ones as well.

.....yes, light for range, especially against un-armoured targets but heavy for armour penetration...and range is relatively unimportant.

the Menavlion in Tim's reconstruction is a (relatively) short (9-12 feet) thrusting spear.

....so just a kontarion made of cornel-wood, then ?
That would hardly seem to merit a new name, let alone the attention given to it...this seems very unlikely to me.....

He makes the point that the menavlion as described would be too heavy to throw far, plus the javelineers were already throwing missiles at the enemy.

That seems very flawed reasoning to me. You can't chuck a pilum very far, and in Republican times the pila armed Heavy Infantry (Hastati and Principes) were preceded in action by Light Infantry Velites armed with the much lighter, longer ranging veles ( a light javelin/mini pila) who were 'already' throwing javelins - so he's wrong in principle !

I'd say the jury's out, with a slightly higher probability of a heavy throwing weapon - which was a mainstay of Roman armies for over a thousand years!!