Ancient Weapons -The spear, pike, and jousting lance

A History in Ancient Weapons

The spear is an ancient offensive weapon. The word "spear" is derived from the Latin word, "sparus", which may have a relation with "spar", or a beam. The spear began as a stake with a sharp end, and in addition to the club, may be one the oldest weapons used by man. The spear was used by all prehistoric races, and savages learned to hurl or thrust it. The spear form is still used in modern day bayonets, which are spears attached to a rifle, as well as the lance and boar spear. Read the rest of this entry »

Medieval Weapon – The flail

The term "flail" is derived from the Latin word "flagellum" but its meaning translates as a whip or scourge as from the Vulgate. Flail in German is "flegel", Dutch it is "vlegel," and in French it is "fleu"–all terms refer to a hand used tool meant to thresh corn. The most common use of the term flail, however, is in reference to a battle weapon. The most common use of the term flail, however, is in reference to a battle weapon. The weapon originated from an early fighting technique that used a club. In Northern Europe, a flail was a threshing tool that was in widespread use and remained the primary way to thresh grain until 1860. In Japan, the tool had been around since antiquity and was most likely used along with a stripper–a large comb-like instrument with upright hard wood teeth. Once straw had been harvested, it was combed through starting at the bottom of the stalks so the tops were removed, the tops would later be threshed by a flail on the threshing floor. Read the rest of this entry »

Mace, a legandary medieval weapon

Learn About the Medieval Mace

Capable of slamming its way through the most tough armor, a mace is a weapon of offense, made of steel, iron, or latten. The first ceremonial maces, which they later became known as, were made to protect the king. They were born by the sergeants- at- arms, who were royal bodyguards started in France by Phillip II, and also in England, most likely by Richard I. When the 14th century rolled around, there was a noticeable difference in maces, since now most of them were covered in precious metals. There is shown to be a civic mace in the 13th century, even though there are no known examples from the time period now in existence. Since the king’s sergeants were worthy of having civic maces that were encrusted with expensive metals, they were given ornamented civic maces because of this. Read the rest of this entry »