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Pilum. The pilum (Latin: [ˈpiːɫʊ̃]; pl.: pila) was a javelin commonly used by the Roman army in ancient times. It was generally about 2 m (6 ft 7 in) long overall, consisting of an iron shank about 7 mm (0.28 in) in diameter and 600 mm (24 in) long with a pyramidal head, attached to a wooden shaft by either a socket or a flat tang.
The pilum was a short-range javelin with an effective range of about 15 meters (50 ft), but could also be used as a spear in situations where an enemy had to be held back. [44] It was hurled at the enemy formations right before the charge and this hail of javelins was intended to break the force of the enemy charge as well as demoralize the ...
The pilum (plural pila) was a heavy javelin commonly used by the Roman army in ancient times. It was generally somewhat less than two metres (6 ft 7 in) long overall, consisting of a wooden shaft from which projected an iron shank about 7 mm (0.28 inches) in diameter and 60 cm (23.6 in) long with a pyramidal head.
Pilus was a name for a maniple of triarii, reflecting their use as spearmen, pilum being the Latin word for a javelin. [3] [4] A century of 80 men was divided into ten contubernia, each of eight men, who shared a single A-frame tent together.
Modern reconstruction of the heavy pilum according to Polybius' specifications has shown that it would have weighed some 8.5 kg (19 lb), far too heavy to be of any practical use as a throwing weapon. The light pilum would have weighed a more serviceable 2.2 kg (4.9 lb). [49]
Plutarch relates that Marius altered the design of the Roman pilum, [42] a heavy javelin designed to stick into shields, by including a wooden peg which broke when the javelin was thrown. [43] Many scholars believe this was to prevent the javelin from being thrown back, but it is more likely that the swinging motion of the broken peg was meant ...
By the time the volley of pila had reached the enemy line (usually only fifteen yards distant for best effect), the legionaries were charging and very quickly at work with their swords. There was rarely any time for the foe to find a pilum, pull it out of whatever it had hit and throw it back. [9] The formation and alignment of hastati
A spiculum is a late Roman spear [1] that replaced the pilum as the infantryman's main throwing javelin around 250 AD. Scholars suppose that it could have resulted from the gradual combination of the pilum and two German spears, the angon and the bebra. As more and more Germans joined the Roman army, their culture and traditions became a ...