Long spears and Late Roman armies

[Chris]

Looking over the Late Roman Empire lists in an IMPETVS supplement, I noticed that the regulars and border troops are armed with long spears. In the notes and options, there is mention of "plumbata" which are treated like pila when resolving offensive and defensive fire before a melee.

Got me to wondering about holding a shield, a long spear, and tossing 2, 3, or more plumbata (they remind me of lawn darts) before coming into contact with an enemy formation.

Looked at a similar list in a Hail Caesar supplement and noted that long spears were optional, dependent on the mission or enemy.

I have in mind a 3rd century AD Pharsalus-like scenario and was wondering about the weapon limit for legionary troops. Carrying a shield and long spear and plumbata seems a bit complicated.

Appreciate thoughts and links to sources. No urgent matter, to be sure.

Thanks,

Chris

[Jim Webster]

With the Impetus rules the 'long spear' in this case is an artefact of the rules.

Because Late Roman infantry units seem to have been able to fend of cavalry, (whether by holding pilums or javelins as spears, or by forming up really densely isn't entirely determined) this is best done by giving them 'long spear' to model this ability

The other thing is that with the mechanisms of Impetus, having a VBU of more than four and having javelins means your fire-power is too high. So a lot of troops who upgrade from VBU 4 to VBU 5 will switch from 'javelin' to 'Long spear'.
This isn't because the men changed weapons but to model an effect. A unit with VBU 4 and javelins might be able to deter the enemy closing with their javelins, but is a bit vulnerable to decent cavalry.
The same unit with VBU 5, if it kept javelins would actively go out and hunt cavalry down. Giving them long spear means that they are better able to fend off cavalry without being tempted to hunt them down for the fun of it

Jim

[Martin Smith]

Don't have the resource to hand, but I have a recollection of a reference in AEIR which showed the plumbata being stored/clipped into the inside surface of the infantryman's shield. Therefore the legionary's hands were generally free to hold the spear, with the missiles stowed with easy access when required.
Martin

[Chris]

Ah, OK. Thanks.

[valentinianvictor]

During the 4th Century AD the Roman armies began a transition as did their equipment.

Vegetius, often considered unreliable by historians, noted the arms of the Romans when he wrote his 'Epitome', around 390-420AD. Since the publication by Fatih Onur of the translation of the Perge fragments I have a feeling that historians will reevaluate Vegetius in light of the fact that the command and rank structure given by Vegetius for his legions is almost identical to that found on the Perge fragments. Taking this into account the description of the arms of the legions he gave is probably more correct than initially given credit for.

Vegetius noted that- 'As to the missile weapons of the infantry, they were javelins headed with a triangular sharp iron, eleven inches or a foot long, and were called piles. When once fixed in the shield it was impossible to draw them out, and when thrown with force and skill, they penetrated the cuirass without difficulty. At present they are seldom used by us, but are the principal weapon of the barbarian heavy-armed foot. They are called bebrae, and every man carries two or three of them to battle.' So, although 'seldom' used the Pilum was still in use, as evidenced in several places by the 4th Century Tribune and historian Ammianus.

It appears that the infantry were being supplied with a longer spear that could both be thrust or thrown with a similar effect to the pilum because later in his work Vegetius wrote- 'They were all heavy armed troops and had helmets, cuirasses, greaves, and shields. Their offensive weapons were large swords, called spathae, and smaller ones called semispathae together with five loaded javelins (darts) in the concavity of the shield, which they threw at the first charge. They had likewise two other javelins, the largest of which was composed of a staff five feet and a half long and a triangular head of iron nine inches long. This was formerly called the pilum, but now it is known by the name of spiculum. The soldiers were particularly exercised in the use of this weapon, because when thrown with force and skill it often penetrated the shields of the foot and the cuirasses of the horse. The other javelin was of smaller size; its triangular point was only five inches long and the staff three feet and one half. It was anciently called verriculum but now verutum.'

Interestingly the pen & ink drawings of the now completely destroyed Column of Theodosius show the vast majority of the infantry with what can only be the verutum as its quite short. The pen & ink drawings of the Column of Arcadius show infantry with both the verutum and also what appears to be the Spiculum. The famous ivory diptych of Stilicho shows him holding what may well be a Spiculum- http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/romanarmy_gallery_09.shtml

Hope that was of some interest and help to you.