Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
Unavailable
Unavailable
Unavailable
Ebook158 pages2 hours
The Pilum: The Roman Heavy Javelin
By M.C. Bishop and Peter Dennis
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
3/5
()
Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this ebook
A heavy javelin, normally used as a shock weapon immediately before contact, the pilum was designed with a particular speciality: it could penetrate a shield and carry on into the individual behind it. Relying on mass rather than velocity, at short range a volley of pila had much the same effect on a charging enemy as musketry would in later periods. The design was not uniform, with a wide diversity of types throughout the developmental history of the weapon, but for more than four centuries it remained a vital part of the arsenal of weapons at the disposal of the Roman legionary.
Drawing upon recent major finds in the Iberian Peninsula and the Balkans, as well as written records and rigorous scientific analysis, this enthralling study lifts the veil on the evolving nature of the pilum, the Roman heavy javelin that helped to conquer the known world.
Drawing upon recent major finds in the Iberian Peninsula and the Balkans, as well as written records and rigorous scientific analysis, this enthralling study lifts the veil on the evolving nature of the pilum, the Roman heavy javelin that helped to conquer the known world.
Unavailable
Author
M.C. Bishop
Mike Bishop is a specialist on the Roman army, with many publications to his name including the acclaimed and widely used Roman Military Equipment (2006). The founding editor of Journal of Roman Military Equipment Studies, he has also led several excavations of Roman sites.
Read more from M.C. Bishop
Roman Military Equipment from the Punic Wars to the Fall of Rome, second edition Forts and Roman Strategy: A New Approach and Interpretation Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGladiators: Fighting to the Death in Ancient Rome Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHandbook to Roman Legionary Fortresses Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Milecastle Haiku Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Secret History of the Roman Roads of Britain: And Their Impact on Military History Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lucius Verus and the Roman Defence of the East Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSeditio Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to The Pilum
Related ebooks
Roman Legionaries: Soldiers of Empire Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Arms and Armour of the Imperial Roman Soldier: From Marius to Commodus, 112 BC–AD 192 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Artillery Through the Ages: A Short, Illustrated History of the Cannon, Emphasizing Types Used in America Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Auxilia of the Roman Imperial Army Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPyrrhus of Epirus Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Military History of Late Rome, 284–361 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Great Captains: Alexander: A History of the Origin and Growth of the Art of War from the Earliest Times to the Battle of Ipsus Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Nisibis War: The Defence of the Roman East AD 337–363 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Greece and Rome at War Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Vandals Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Weapons, Warriors and Battles of Ancient Iberia Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMilitary History of Late Rome 518–565 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Military History of Late Rome 602–641 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsArmies of Julius Caesar 58–44 BC Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMilitary History of Late Rome 565–602 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBelisarius: The Last Roman General Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Macedonian Phalanx: Equipment, Organization & Tactics from Philip and Alexander to the Roman Conquest Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHellenistic Naval Warfare and Warships 336-30 BC: War at Sea from Alexander to Actium Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMedieval Military Combat: Battle Tactics and Fighting Techniques of the Wars of the Roses Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Roman Navy: Ships, Men and Warfare 350 BC–AD 475 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Roman Imperial Armour: The production of early imperial military armour Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Art of War in Italy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMark Antony's Heroes: How the Third Gallica Legion Saved an Apostle and Created an Emperor Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Septimius Severus in Scotland: The Northern Campaigns of the First Hammer of the Scots Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAD69: Emperors, Armies and Anarchy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Early Roman Warfare: From the Regal Period to the First Punic War Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Thirteen Roman Defeats: The Disasters That Made The Legions Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Imperial General: The Remarkable Career of Petellius Cerialis Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Big Guns: Artillery on the Battlefield Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Wars & Military For You
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The God Delusion Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Resistance: The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5They Thought They Were Free: The Germans, 1933–45 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Last Kingdom Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Art of War Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sun Tzu's The Art of War: Bilingual Edition Complete Chinese and English Text Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Killing the SS: The Hunt for the Worst War Criminals in History Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Masters of the Air: America's Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Blitzed: Drugs in the Third Reich Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Hide an Empire: A History of the Greater United States Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Daily Creativity Journal Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Rise of the Fourth Reich: The Secret Societies That Threaten to Take Over America Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Wager Disaster: Mayem, Mutiny and Murder in the South Seas Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Unit 731: Testimony Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Making of the Atomic Bomb Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Art of War & Other Classics of Eastern Philosophy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Heart of Everything That Is: The Untold Story of Red Cloud, An American Legend Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Washington: The Indispensable Man Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/577 Days of February: Living and Dying in Ukraine, Told by the Nation’s Own Journalists Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The History of the Peloponnesian War: With linked Table of Contents Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related podcast episodes
The Roman Legionary 0% found this document usefulHistory of the Mongols SPECIAL: Gunpowder: Contact: info@kingsandgenerals.net 0% found this document usefulScary Pigs and Phantom Planes: Audio Warfare Through the Ages 0% found this document usefulSecret War, Unsung Heroes, WW2 Victory with retired Air Force Colonel Mark Vlahos 0% found this document usefulFreak Ships of the Nineteenth Century I: Monitors 0% found this document usefulFreak Ships of the Nineteenth Century II: Circular Ships 0% found this document useful399. The Savage Storm: World War II and The Battle for Italy 0% found this document useful21: The Arch of Septimius Severus 0% found this document usefulEP8 Caesar at Hastings: Description: Could militaries separated by ten centuries compete on a battlefield? In this alternative history experiment two armies that successfully invaded Britain a millennium apart are matched. Which side would you bet on? Show Notes: 1. The... 100% found this document usefulFreak Ships of the Nineteenth Century III: Cigar Ships 0% found this document usefulIconic Ships 10: Ark Royal 0% found this document useful253-The Dame of Sark: A 56-year-old British noblewoman stood up to Nazi occupiers on the tiny island of Sark. 0% found this document usefulFreak Ships of the Nineteenth Century IV: The Cleopatra 0% found this document useful35: The Column of Marcus Aurelius 0% found this document usefulHannibal: Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the remarkable Carthaginian general Hannibal. 0% found this document useful
Related articles
The Effect Of Peltasts On Greek Warfare lighten Up! Ancient Warfare MagazineArticle
The Effect Of Peltasts On Greek Warfare lighten Up!
Oct 7, 2022
5 min readThe Battle Of Ilipa Ancient Warfare MagazineArticle
The Battle Of Ilipa
Jan 24, 2022
11 min readFollowing The Ransverse Crest Ancient Warfare MagazineArticle
Following The Ransverse Crest
Jun 8, 2021
9 min readNot Simply Something For You To Throw The Pilum Ancient Warfare MagazineArticle
Not Simply Something For You To Throw The Pilum
May 5, 2023
The Battle of Pharsalus between Caesar and Pompey began with the infantry of both sides hurling their pila at one another before charging, gladii drawn. However, the critical role of the pilum in this battle was still yet to arrive. On Caesar's right
3 min readIdeas For Wargaming History's Earliest Conflicts Battles In Bronze Wargames, Soldiers & StrategyArticle
Ideas For Wargaming History's Earliest Conflicts Battles In Bronze
Mar 15, 2024
Mercenary troops can be just as loyal or more loyal than your own troops. When I defeated and captured the Sherden pirates, I took these veteran fighters and made them my personal bodyguards. During the Bronze Age, ancient peoples began to smelt copp
5 min readThe Decline Of Hoplite Armour arrows And Bronze Ancient Warfare MagazineArticle
The Decline Of Hoplite Armour arrows And Bronze
Mar 9, 2023
8 min readThe Claudio-neronian Legionary Ancient Warfare MagazineArticle
The Claudio-neronian Legionary
Sep 8, 2023
6 min readPreliminaries Ancient Warfare MagazineArticle
Preliminaries
Aug 3, 2021
Big battles, with hoplites, phalangites or legionaries many ranks deep and hundreds of files wide, that’s what we think of when imagining an ancient battlefield. If you’re so inclined, you might favor a siege too, preferably with spectacular war mach
7 min readPike Through Time Ancient Warfare MagazineArticle
Pike Through Time
Mar 21, 2022
8 min readShield Patterns On The Brescia Casket Shields Of Faith Ancient Warfare MagazineArticle
Shield Patterns On The Brescia Casket Shields Of Faith
Feb 16, 2024
The casket has been dated anywhere from the early fourth to the early fifth century, but a date in the late fourth century is commonly preferred. It is 32 cm long, 22 cm wide, and 25 cm high. The casket may have originally been made in Mediolanum (mo
5 min readMessana: The Spark That Lit A Flame Wargames, Soldiers & StrategyArticle
Messana: The Spark That Lit A Flame
Jan 7, 2022
6 min readLet’s Play Lion Rampant 2 Wargames, Soldiers & StrategyArticle
Let’s Play Lion Rampant 2
Sep 23, 2022
5 min readAmbiorix's Revolt Against Rome In 54 Bc Belgae, Bravest Of The Gauls Wargames, Soldiers & StrategyArticle
Ambiorix's Revolt Against Rome In 54 Bc Belgae, Bravest Of The Gauls
Apr 5, 2023
7 min readPhilip's Phalangites Ancient Warfare MagazineArticle
Philip's Phalangites
Oct 7, 2022
Diodorus tells us (16.3.1-2) that it was Philip who introduced improvements in the organisation of Macedonian armies and introduced new a formation, equipment and tactics. There is no sound reason to reject this. The formation was the phalanx, made u
1 min readThe Chremonidean War Ancient Warfare MagazineArticle
The Chremonidean War
Jan 24, 2022
In the Athenian year 269/8, they saw their opportunity. Since the mid-270s, Macedon had been ruled by Antigonus Gonatas, the son of Demetrius Poliorcetes. Ever since Antigonus came to the throne, Greek opposition to his rule had been fostered and fun
8 min readMetal 'fingerprint' confirms Clades Varian Ancient Warfare MagazineArticle
Metal 'fingerprint' confirms Clades Varian
Dec 20, 2022
The archaeological site at Kalkriese, near Osnabrück in Germany, was clearly the site of a battle between Roman and Germanic soldiers in the first years of the first century AD. Whether that was the site of the defeat of Varus' legions or a battle be
1 min readThe Elite Sentinels Of The Eastern Roman Army the Buccellarii Ancient Warfare MagazineArticle
The Elite Sentinels Of The Eastern Roman Army the Buccellarii
May 5, 2023
7 min readIt's All Greek To Me Ancient Warfare MagazineArticle
It's All Greek To Me
Jan 24, 2022
8 min readThe Norman Knight Medieval Warfare MagazineArticle
The Norman Knight
May 19, 2021
2 min readUnsustainable Loss Ancient Warfare MagazineArticle
Unsustainable Loss
Mar 21, 2022
8 min readIs-3 Heavy Tank History of WarArticle
Is-3 Heavy Tank
Dec 29, 2020
3 min readWellington Rifles History of WarArticle
Wellington Rifles
Jun 14, 2018
7 min readHow An Auxiliary Unit Blew Its Own Trumpet Ancient Warfare MagazineArticle
How An Auxiliary Unit Blew Its Own Trumpet
Dec 20, 2022
1 min readWatchtower Found On Rome's Southern Border Ancient Warfare MagazineArticle
Watchtower Found On Rome's Southern Border
Dec 20, 2022
1 min readArms And Armour Of Late Medieval Europe History of WarArticle
Arms And Armour Of Late Medieval Europe
Nov 27, 2017
2 min readM10 & M10A1 TANK DESTROYER History of WarArticle
M10 & M10A1 TANK DESTROYER
Mar 18, 2021
3 min readPhilopoemen At Gythium Ancient Warfare MagazineArticle
Philopoemen At Gythium
Aug 3, 2021
9 min readDispatches From The Front Wargames, Soldiers & StrategyArticle
Dispatches From The Front
Aug 4, 2023
6 min readBattle Of Eylau History of WarArticle
Battle Of Eylau
Nov 28, 2019
1 min readFrom The Depths Of The Bog Ancient Warfare MagazineArticle
From The Depths Of The Bog
Mar 21, 2022
3 min read
Reviews for The Pilum
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
3/5
1 rating0 reviews