07-13-2007, 07:55 PM
Salve Demetrius!
Far from wanting to slam you, there are some elements that in my view contradict your statement and need discussion.
Primarily there is the element of resources. Why would one spend a lot of effort producing iron, shaping it into a pilumpoint, crafting a balanced shaft and then just trowing it away at something and forgetting about it. The argument that they MIGHT not get it back after a battle still doesn't make it a reasonable assumption that therefor the weapon was considered a write-off from step one and fashioned accordingly.
Then there is workmanship and effort put into its design and fabrication. What we see in the pilum design is a crafting of a purpose made shaft, consisting of a round lower part and a more elaborate square part to which the iron was riveted. Now, if it were single use only, why not just make a round shaft, a tanged iron point, stick those two together, add some binding and be done with it. Why the flange, why the rivets?
Then there is the issue of ballistics. A pilum made of oak is a lot heavier then one made of birch. To get a more uniform throwing characteristic, it would be advisable to select a range of woods with similar properties. This would be an argument for selecting wood to fit these properties when and where available. You want a spear to fly straight and true, not flop :? The weighted pilum was even fitted with a ball of lead, not a readily replaceable commodity when out at war.
If pushed for supplies during a grueling campaign, yes, wood would be wood and anything would go, but you would have to be losing that campaign in the first place to be denied access to the battlefield after the battle was fought, thus losing your pila. In that case, I do hope there was a large stock of iron in the bagage train
Far from wanting to slam you, there are some elements that in my view contradict your statement and need discussion.
Primarily there is the element of resources. Why would one spend a lot of effort producing iron, shaping it into a pilumpoint, crafting a balanced shaft and then just trowing it away at something and forgetting about it. The argument that they MIGHT not get it back after a battle still doesn't make it a reasonable assumption that therefor the weapon was considered a write-off from step one and fashioned accordingly.
Then there is workmanship and effort put into its design and fabrication. What we see in the pilum design is a crafting of a purpose made shaft, consisting of a round lower part and a more elaborate square part to which the iron was riveted. Now, if it were single use only, why not just make a round shaft, a tanged iron point, stick those two together, add some binding and be done with it. Why the flange, why the rivets?
Then there is the issue of ballistics. A pilum made of oak is a lot heavier then one made of birch. To get a more uniform throwing characteristic, it would be advisable to select a range of woods with similar properties. This would be an argument for selecting wood to fit these properties when and where available. You want a spear to fly straight and true, not flop :? The weighted pilum was even fitted with a ball of lead, not a readily replaceable commodity when out at war.
If pushed for supplies during a grueling campaign, yes, wood would be wood and anything would go, but you would have to be losing that campaign in the first place to be denied access to the battlefield after the battle was fought, thus losing your pila. In that case, I do hope there was a large stock of iron in the bagage train
