Bas-relief at Nuremberg, representing St. George, of the time of Henry the Fifth. See p. 799. CHAP. XVIII. ARMS.-ARMOUR. SECTION I.-Arms and Armour of the Greeks, Romans, and Barbarians.—II. Arms and Armour of the Britons, Anglo-Saxons, Danes, Normans, and English. CLASSICAL ERA. THE earliest offensive weapon (though the spear has been mentioned as such) appears to have been the Club. Upon ancient monuments, it is the weapon of persons supposed to have lived in the Heroick Ages1. From the Club proceeded the Mace, Battle-axe, and similar arms of percussion. Where they appear as Weapons of War, in Roman monuments, they denote Barbarians. CLUB. This weapon, being used in close fight, gave its name paλay to the compact body of troops so called. The Scythians united it with the Mace, both being spiked 3. In the army of Xerxes, the Assyrians and Ethiopians had clubs of wood armed with iron 4. On the coins of Commodus as Hercules-Romanus is a knotted Rec. d'Antiq. 34. 1 ' Encyclop. " Dr. Meyrick on Ancient Armour, Intr. xxxiv. * Id. xiii. club, with two square belts of iron1; and Winckleman has published one borne by Mars, which consists of a handle with only a round knotty knob 2; and another, carried by an Amazon, merely a round staff, with two ornamental amulets, and a mushroom-formed cap 3. Upon the Trajan column, Dacians appear with clubs. [They were Slaves, to whom no other arm was permitted 4. This appropriation descended to the Middle Age. Beating with clubs was a punishment of rusticks and slaves 5, and it became a question, whether any noble or free person could legally be punished by a solemn fustigation around the market or church? Du Cange mentions the Vulgastus, a crooked club, the Plumbata loaded with lead, the Spontonus with iron. Our apprentices used to carry clubs when lighting their master or mistress home at night. And in the army of Charles I. rusticks untrained were called Clubmen.] MACE. The club, says Dr. Meyrick, soon gave way to the Mace, which had its name (xopʊvn) from the little horns or spikes by which it was surrounded. It occurs in Homer. A Greco-Egyptian one has a guard for the hand. The Assyrians had them of wood, headed with iron 10. One of the Greek maces in a horseman's hand, occurs on an old coin ", and several brazen mace-heads, which prove that the handle was originally of wood, may be seen in the British Museum 12. The origin of the Corporation Mace is thus given by Dr. Clarke: The Sceptre of Agamemnon was preserved by the Chæroneans, and seems to have been used among them after the manner of a mace in Corporate Towns; for Pausanias relates, that it was not kept in any temple appropriated for its reception, but that it was annually brought forth with appropriate ceremonies, being honoured by daily sacrifices; and a sort of Mayor's Feast seems to have been preserved for the occasion; a table covered with all sorts of eatables being then set forth 13. The Gladiators, called Secutores, used leaden maces, afterwards adopted by our archers, &c. 14 In all ages, the great use of clubs and maces seems to have been destruction of the armour of the enemy 15. BATTLE-AXE. Under this generick term may be classed the following weapons: Bipennis, double-bladed; blades crescent-formed, and long handles 19; with shorthandles; one with handle knobbed at top, pointed at bottom; blades fire-shovel form 20. Others have hammers on both sides 21, or a hatchet and hammer; broad and sharp on both sides, used by sacrificers, wood-cutters, and sailors in sea-fights 22 Phrygian. Amazonian. Bipennis, Bill, Halberd. "The battle-axe," says Dr. Meyrick 23," "was doubleedged, that is, a bipennis, and denominated byl; when these were affixed to long staves, which was generally the case for the infantry, they were termed alle-bardes or cleavealls."-Scandinavians. Danes. 1 Rec. d'Antiq. pl. 79. f. 7. Cange, v. Fustis. 4 Rec. d'Antiq. 34. 5 Du 8 xxxiv. Ja With 2 Mon. Ant. 177. 3 Id. 137. 6 Athon. Const. Othon., &c. p. 54. 9 Id. ii. pl. i. f. 4. 10 Id. 8. 11 Engr. Stuart's Athens, iii. 53. these are many that were not thus used, but placed on the striker of a flail, several in succession, made to fit its increasing diameter towards its end, to prevent their flying off. Such a military weapon was used by the Portugese, till the conclusion of the 16th century. Meyrick, xxxiv. 13 vii. 180. 14 Meyrick, xvi. 15 Id. vi. 16 Id. ii. 17 Id. iii. pl. i. f. 18, 19. 18 ld. xiii. 19 Gem. Mus. Florent. Winckelm. Mon. Antic. no. 137. 20 Gessn. i. pl. 79. n. 7, 8, from Coins of Tenedos. Etrusc. i. pl. 84. 23 Ixi. 22 Enc. Virg. Georg. iv. 1. 331. 21 Mus. Πελεκυς. A short handle, at its top an axe-blade, a pike opposite1.-Grecian. An, or Pole-axe. The Axine was a staff, on the end of which was a spike, with an axe blade on one side, and another spike on the other. With this weapon Agamemnon is said to have encountered Pisander 2. SPEARS. Pliny ascribes the invention of the spear to the Etolians, but it is no doubt beyond the date of history. The Romans, before they knew Sculpture, worshipped Mars under the form of a Spear; a custom derived from the Sabines, among whom the Spear was the symbol of War. Varro says, that from some nations worshipping a Spear, came the custom of arming the statues of the Gods with a Hasta pura. Spears were kept at home in cases 3, and it was customary also to put them against a column, whence, says Dr. Meyrick, originated fluted pillars. They were adorned with banderolls 5, and carried at funerals inverted 6. To present the spear by the middle was to request a suspension of the battle7. Javelins in this discussion will be distinguished from Spears, by making, as Strabo does, the former missile, the latter for thrusting only, whereas both kinds were used under necessity, for either of these purposes 8. The kinds shall now be given. Greco-Egyptian. The common myrtle-leaf head appears on the bas-reliefs of the Temple of Carnac ; but Dr. Meyrick very judiciously ascribes the æra to the Ptolemean Dynasty 9. The latter writer has engraved a quiver, containing javelins with a throwing stick 10. Grecian. The spear oyxos was generally of ash with a leaf-shaped head of metal, and furnished with a pointed ferrule at the butt, called Zauparnp, with which it was stuck in the ground, a method used, according to Homer, when the troops rested on their arms, or slept upon their shields 11. Ayxuλa. Amentum, Cestrosphendonus, Axλides. The ayxuλa and amentum were javelins which had thongs in the middle for further impelling them. [See the next article.] The Cestrosphendonus, a Macedonian instrument, much shorter, was darted by two thongs of unequal length. The Aclides, short and thick, and stuck with points, were pulled back after attack 12. Αιγάνη, γνοσφος, and εύσσος, were javelins, of which the form of the heads may be seen in Stuart 13. "Several of these (says Dr. Meyrick) were loose upon their shafts, in all probability having attached to them a cord, which was held by the side of the wood, so that when the weapon once entered the body, the head could not be extracted without the greatest difficulty. I am led to this conclusion from an Asiatick javelin, in my son's collection, on this principle, and which, like them, has just below the blade a hook turned backward to prevent its being withdrawn 14." Double-pointed Lance, mentioned by Homer 15. It was afterwards adopted by the Romans 16. Aopu. This lance, says Dr. Meyrick 17, was probably that used by the cavalry, and furnished with a loop of leather, which served the warrior for a support, when he chose to let it hang from his arm, and to twist round his hand for the firmer grasp when charging. This strap was called μsσayxuan, being put on about the middle. Hunting Spear, in Xenophon and Pollux1 had two salient parts, sometimes three crescents, to prevent the advance of the wounded animal. On the coins of Etolia 2 is an undoubted hunting spear. The French Antiquaries distinguish hunting spears from others by their having no barb 3. KOTOS, a long lance used in the defence of ships; some similar were used by the Cataphracti, or heavy armed cavalry 4. See Contus below. Mounting Spear. This had a step annexed to the staff, by which the horseman, having leaned the spear against the horse, ascended 5. Sarissa, a long Macedonian spear; originally sixteen cubits long, but in Ælian's time only fourteen 6. The other spears are either Greek or Roman. Roman. Contus. 1. A hunting spear, short, with a single point; upon marbles sometimes swelled in the middle; often carried reversed.-2. The same, used as a missile by the Contarii.-3. With a crook added, the Contus Nautarum, or boatman's hook". Hasta. A spear for darting, one finger thick, four and a half cubits long 8. Javelin. Those carried by the Velites, or light troops, were about two cubits long, and so slender a point, that they bent at the first hit, and could not be returned by the enemy 9. After the conquest of Greece, the javelin more firm, and capable of being used at both ends, was adopted 10. Lupus, like a boat-hook to lay hold of besiegers 11. Pilum, about seven feet long. The head had a hook to retain it in the buckler after piercing. It was thrown just before attack with the sword 12. Barbarian. With wicker instead of iron tops, Sarmatian (because they had no iron 13). The Framea, very long, with a short and narrow blade of iron 14. The Encyclopedists make it short, and the same as the Roman Contus; but this was probably the Framea used by the cavalry; German.-With heads of goat's horns sharpened, Ethiopian 15.-A large ball at the butt end, a lozenge-shaped blade at the other, Parthian 16-Shaft composed of little bands, perhaps of cane, and becoming larger towards the head, where it terminates in a round ball;-head pyramidal, or a spike; Thracian 1.-Three pointed or a Trident, the same, adopted by the Gladiators, called Retiarii 18-Martio-Barbulus, or Mattium; on one side a long iron, on the other a hammer; from the description rather a battle-axe than a spear 19,-Spears undistinguished by peculiarities are not mentioned. Gaulish. Diodorus says, for darts they cast those called Lankia, whose iron blades are a cubit or more in length, and almost two hands in breadth. Propertius attributes to them the Gæsum 20. On coins the head is barbed, and resembles that of an arrow 21. The Gæsum was the missile lighter than the pilum of the heavy armed, whence two were generally carried 22. Franks; spear with a fleur-de-lis head, called the Angon, whence the Royal Arms of France 23. 1 L. v. c. 4. ? See also Mus. Capitolin. tom. iv. pl. 53. 5 From Winckelm. Mon. Antiq. 202. 6 El. Tact. c. 14. 10 Id. xlviii. 16 Id. xi. Polyb. vi. 4. Enc. 13 Meyrick, xiv. 14 Id. lix. 9 Meyrick, xlvi. Enc. 4 Enc. 7 Enc. 12 Id. 3 Rec. d' Antiq. 52. Meyrick, xxxv. "Liv. xxviii. Enc. '7 Id. xvi. 18 xvii. 19 Veget. " Pellerin, Med. des. Peupl. i. pl. v. n. 15. Enc. Claud. Laud. Stilich. ii, 241. Non. Marc. xviii. 19. Liv. viii. 8. xxviii. 45, &c. Coins of the Calpurnia family. i. 17. Enc. Du Cange. VOL. II. 2 N 23 Enc. SWORDS. It may be generally noted, that the swords of civilized nations were straight, of Barbarians crooked, the Lacedæmonian excepted, which were very short and curved. The thin-bladed narrow sword of the Moderns was utterly unknown, though the swords of the cavalry were proportionably long. The distinction between ancient and more recent swords, seems to have been the addition of a guard for the fingers; for though one of a single bar occurs among the Etruscans 2, yet no other instance is mentioned by Dr. Meyrick. Græco-Egyptian. A cutting sword with cord and tassel at the hilt, a modern Persian practice; a scimitar with double cord to the hilt; a long dagger with double cords, resembling, particularly in the hilt, those now used by the Moors and Turks 3. Greek. The Greeks of the Heroick Ages wore the sword under the left arm-pit,so that the pommel touched the nipple of the breast. Generally the sword was almost horizontal. It hung by a belt. The length was nearly that of the arm. The scabbard, of the same breadth as the sword was terminated in a knob, like a mushroom 4. Dr. Meyrick thus describes the Greek swords. 1. The έos, worn at the left hip, suspended from a leathern strap, which passed over the right shoulder. It was straight, intended for cutting and thrusting, with a leaf-shaped blade, and not above twenty inches long. It therefore reached only to the thigh. It had no guard but a cross-bar, which with the xoxeos or scabbard was beautifully ornamented. The hilts of Greek swords were sometimes of ivory and gold. 2. The Argive xois, from the name seemingly intended for cutting, had its edge in the inner curve of the blade. The vivai or §unλai, Lacedæmonian swords, were all of the short cutting kind. A sword on a gem in the Florentine Gallery, may be, says Mongez, a Lacedæmonian sword, or Carian, or Lycian. An Amazon in Montfaucon has one similar in the blade 5. The Acinaces, or curved dagger, with the edge in the inner curve, was borrowed from the Persians at a later period of Greek history. The Machaira or Dagger was more frequently used for a knife, but worn in the scabbard of the sword. It is mentioned by Homer. Inlaying of sword blades and hilts with gold is very ancient, being mentioned by Herodotus 6. Cæsar encouraged ornamenting of arms, in order to make the soldiers more desirous of preserving them. › ** Roman. The Romans, says Dr. Meyrick, had brazen swords in their infant state. [I think it was leaf-formed in the blade 7.] Latterly they were of iron, the hilts of brass or copper. Gen. Melville found the Roman Gladius of iron at Portici. It seems exceedingly probable, that sword blades of mixed metal hardened were in use among the European nations, both before and since the Gladii of steel or iron hardened were the chief offensive weapons of the Roman heavy-armed infantry. The length of the blade was from nineteen to twenty-one inches 8. Polybius says, that down to the time of Annibal the Romans used the Greek or Etruscan sword; but that they then adopted the Spanish or Celtiberian steel-double-edged cut and thrust, the Gladius described above 9. On the Trajan column the sword is completely Greek, straight-sided, with an obtuse angular point. One from the ruins of Herculaneum rather diverges on the sides, and has a sharper angle at the point. The blade of another on the Theodosian column is nearly a lozenge; and a third taken from an inscription, in Muratori, where the deceased is called Legionarius, tapers off from Meyrick, xxxix. 3 Id. ii. • Rec. d'Antiquit. 29. 5 Mus. Etrusc. i. pl. * Meyrick, liii. Enc. 123. Pompeiana. 6 Meyrick, x. xxxvi. The Encyclopedists call the Roman Machaira the Spanish sword adopted for the Legionary Infantry. 7 See Grose's Milit. Antiq. ii. pl. 60. Gough's Camden, iii. 414*. Mongez, Rec. 29. Meyrick, liii. |