"Spear of Christ" on History Channel (US)

[A_Volpe]

Keep an eye out for "Spear of Christ" episode of "Decoding the Past" series on History Channel.

It features Dr. Jeffrey Forgeng, Curator of Higgins Armory Museum, whom I've worked with researching/reconstructing Medieval/Renaissance Fencing manuals with Higgins Sword Guild.

You'll also notice the Pilum reconstruction he's holding - This is one of the first Pila that Hibernicus/RLQM sent me a few years ago, and that shaft lasted repeated bendings for demonstrations until only a few months ago.

Unfortunately I can't say anything about the "Romans" seen in the production, despite my offers to help. Oh well.

[Primvs Pavlvs]

I watched this, and I was amused. However I dont think they emphasized enough that none of the suspected spears were not of patterns known in the first century. The briefly mention it, but it was still gleamed over.

[A_Volpe]

Yup, I was in the background during the filming at Higgins. Certainly much of the good information was not used in the final production, but there could have been a number of factors playing out.

Remember, the people in the program pretty much dismiss the authenticity of any of the spears, nevermind it's ability to withstand nearly 2,000 years of "use"....So they may have omitted many details to try and save face/prevent outrage (ie: the Shroud, or the Ark) :?

Although Dr. Forgeng [and I] did give them plenty of interesting information, not only about the development of spears, but also the possiblity of Longinus being an Auxiliary (and may have Latinized his name), being equipped with a Hasta as oppsed to a Legionary with a Pilum, blah blah blah.

[FAVENTIANVS]

I think they said it was a Carolingian fake spearhead...

[Steve Schonberger]

. . ., nevermind it's ability to withstand nearly 2,000 years of "use"....So they may have omitted many details to try and save face/prevent outrage (ie: the Shroud, or the Ark) :?

Given that tradition says, more or less, that any army carrying the spear would be victorious, use would be pretty light duty. Inspiring armies doesn't wear equipment out nearly as quickly as fighting enemies directly, after all.

Of course, that's a completely different issue from questions such as whether it's archaeologically accurate for the era. But if it were credibly linked to the time and place, being revered as a holy relic would tend to preserve it long after most other artifacts of its time had rusted to dust.

[Primvs Pavlvs]

I think they said it was a Carolingian fake spearhead...

They did on the one Favi, but they did not emphasis it enough in my opinion. Especially for the other styles of spears.

[MARCvSVIBIvSMAvRINvS]

It wasnt the spear of christ......... nor the pilum of christ...

it was a HASTA!

M.VIB.M.

[Primvs Pavlvs]

It wasnt the spear of christ......... nor the pilum of christ...

it was a HASTA!

M.VIB.M.

Sharp pointy stick of Christ!

[MARCvSVIBIvSMAvRINvS]

thingy which they stuck in christ...........

M.VIB.M. 8)