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Author answered in the comments [1]: > You can use a pilum as a thrusting spear, but it isn’t particularly well designed for the role (weight distribution is a
by DylanSp 3y ago
Author answered in the comments [1]:
> You can use a pilum as a thrusting spear, but it isn’t particularly well designed for the role (weight distribution is all wrong, the long shank is fragile (bends) in ways you don’t want, etc). If the plan was to do that, you’d just do what most Gauls and Spaniards seem to do: carry one javelin and one thrusting spear. And in the event, our sources are quite consistent that when they imagine Roman heavy infantry in close combat, they are using their swords, not the pilum. So while that’s a possible use and it probably happened from time to time, I don’t think it was a normal use.
[1] https://acoup.blog/2023/11/24/collections-roman-infantry-tactics-why-the-pilum-and-not-a-spear/#comment-59298 https://acoup.blog/2023/11/24/collections-roman-infantry-tac...
- rightbyte 3y agoThanks ok so he have thought about it. Dunno. It is hard to reason about. My gut feeling is that close combat sucks so much that you'd really want two chances to throw the javalin versus the random pleb robber you need to arrest. But you can also use them as spear, since sword close also sucks. Most encounters was maybe sabre rattling contests anyways. Like footballs huligans kicking in the air towards each other.
- favflam 3y agoI read Romans had a height disadvantage against Germans, etc. So Roman strategy was to knock enemies down with the shield and stab up close. Like Mike Tyson vs taller heavy weight boxers. The shield mitigates the risk of close combat.