Roman Weapons & Defences
The Gladius (sword): Was used for close combat. The Gladius was a short, stabbing sword that originally came from Spain. They had a wooden handle and weighed about 1kg. A stabbing thrust was practiced in training as it would puncture the enemies armour and kill the person behind it.
The Pilum (spear): The Pilum was a long spear or javelin that could be either thick or thin. The thin was 2m long and had an iron head with a barbed point. The thick Pilum had a wooden block to secure the heavy metal head. The Pilum’s head was flexible, so that when the target was missed, the head bent resulting in the enemy being unable to throw it back to the Romans.
Armour: Their armour consisted of a woollen tunic underneath, a metal helmet, metal shoulder plates, metal body (covering from under the shoulders to the waist), and a metal rectangle to protect the groin.
Scutum (shield): It was carried on the left hand side of a soldiers body, semi-circular in shape, and used to deflect missiles thrown at a soldier. It was also used in a ‘tortoise’ formation.
The Pilum (spear): The Pilum was a long spear or javelin that could be either thick or thin. The thin was 2m long and had an iron head with a barbed point. The thick Pilum had a wooden block to secure the heavy metal head. The Pilum’s head was flexible, so that when the target was missed, the head bent resulting in the enemy being unable to throw it back to the Romans.
Armour: Their armour consisted of a woollen tunic underneath, a metal helmet, metal shoulder plates, metal body (covering from under the shoulders to the waist), and a metal rectangle to protect the groin.
Scutum (shield): It was carried on the left hand side of a soldiers body, semi-circular in shape, and used to deflect missiles thrown at a soldier. It was also used in a ‘tortoise’ formation.
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