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 .

2025年4月2日 · The pilum (plural: pila) was a heavy Roman spear used by the Roman army from the 3rd century BC until the 3rd century AD. It was approximately seven feet in length, with a wooden shaft and an iron tip that had a sharp, hardened point at the end.

When Swords wouldn't do, Roman soldiers relied on the pilum, which was a long spear, or javelin. There were two types: think and thin. The thin one had a long iron head, that fit to the long handle by way of a socket. The thin pilum was about 2 m long, with a barbed point.

2023年11月24日 · First, we’re going to take a brief look at what we can know about the period where the Roman tactical system we see in the Middle and Late Republic emerges (and the pilum, it seems, with it). Then we’ll discuss the pilum as a weapon, before moving to the implications that weapon has for tactics.

2023年10月27日 · The Roman pilum, a heavy javelin, was a prominent weapon of ancient Roman legions originating in Celtic culture around the 4th-3rd centuries BC. Characterised by its pyramidal head, the pilum evolved over centuries, altering in size, weight, and design, until it was superseded by other weapons around the 8th century AD.

Two iron pilum heads Roman Britain, 1st century AD From the Roman fort site at Hod Hill, Dorset The pilum, or javelin was carried by legionary soldiers. It had a wooden shaft and an iron head giving a total length of about two metres.

The pilum held a crucial role within the Roman army, serving as both a spear and a throwing weapon. Soldiers used it to disrupt enemy formations before the main clash. Its design was well-thought-out, with a heavy iron head that could bend upon …

Pilum means “javelin”, in the plural pila. It was a legionary javelin used to throw at a distance before the fight. The weapon, most likely of Etruscan or Samnite origin, was refined and introduced into the regular Roman army.

By surveying various battle narratives in Greek and Roman authors, this article nuances Zhmodikov’s claim by analyzing the appearance of the pilum on the battlefield during the Roman Middle Republic to argue that the Roman army relied heavily on showers of light javelins (tela) from the light infantry (velites) to affect the interchanging of inf...

The pilum (plural pila) was a javelin commonly used by the Roman army in ancient times. It was generally about 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) long overall, consisting of an iron shank about 7 millimetres (0.28 in) in diameter and 60 centimetres (24 in) long with pyramidal head. The shank was joined to the wooded shaft by either a socket or a flat tang.