

Once their shield was useless they had little defending them from being killed (). This made the Pilum a highly efficient weapon when dealing with unarmored or light armored enemies.

Often it the Pilum would also leave a hole in the enemies shield weakening it. This would then render the enemies shield useless because of the awkward large spear hanging from it.

Not only was it strong and lethal it could also pierce through an enemy’s shield with ease. The long Iron head of the Pilum was very effective for attacking the enemy. This would often shock and injure the enemy making them more vulnerable to the Romans when the battle turned too close quarters fighting. The iron head of the Pilum was also made softer so on impact it would bend making it harder for the enemy to throw back the Pilum once the head bent () Roman soldiers commonly carried two Pilum and threw them at their enemy when charging into battle. A weight was added on the top of the shaft to help balance out the spear so it can be thrown and used more accurately. The weighted Pilum was created when later versions of the Pilum were made much lighter than the original. This block also was in place to protect a soldiers hand when stabbing someone with the Pilum. The thick Pilum which is nearly the same length as the thin Pilum, but had a large wooden block connecting the metal head with the wooden shaft. There is the thin Pilum which is about two meters long. There are a few varying types of the Pilum. The Pilum was often thrown toward the enemy before engaging the enemy with a short sword. The Pilum was a roman version of a spear or javelin and could be used in hand to hand combat or thrown at the enemy. The Romans are well known for their use the Pilum. Roman legionnaires trained extensively for stabbing the enemy in certain vulnerable areas (). It was an effective weapon for up close hand to hand combat when a long weapon such as a spear would be ineffective. Although it could be used to slash enemies it was much more effective and often used for stabbing your opponent. During the Second Punic Wars Roman General Scipio Africanus liked the sword and began implementing its use in roman forces. The Gladius is a short sword that was often used in Spain. One of the Romans most recognizable weapons is their strong short sword the Gladius. Below you can find information on some of their most famous and efficient weapons, as well as types of armor that served the Romans well over many years of warfare. Part of the reason they were so successful in conquering and battling their enemies was there superior armor and weapons that were effective throughout centuries. Roman armies can be seen in film and in book even today in our modern world discussing their strength and level of fighting. Throughout history the Roman armies have been regarded as one of the most effective and strong war machines.
