Fig. 104.—Greek Iron Swords (Nos. 265, 267). 1:5.
Fig. 105.—The Machaira, with Hilt in the Shape of a Bird.
Fig. 106.—Greek Spearheads (Nos. 272-3, 275). About 1:4.
Greek and Roman spears.—Classical spears are represented by a variety of heads both in bronze and iron. The earliest Greek type is an iron head found with pottery of the tenth or ninth century B.C. in a grave at Assarlik in Asia Minor (No. 271). Those with three and four blades are a small class, examples of which came to light at Olympia, and suggest as a date the end of the sixth century B.C. (No. 272; fig. 106a). To the same date may belong the decoratively modelled bronze spear from Kameiros, and another of plainer design from the same place (No. 273; fig. 106b, c), with two from Olympia, and a large iron one (No. 274) found with the fine Attic helmet (p. [78]) in Macedonia. A curious spearhead, or perhaps a butt, from Olympia is shown among the Greek Inscriptions (p. [9], No. 14, fig. 8). Spearbutts are not uncommon. Some are plain tapered ferrules (No. 279; fig. 107), others end in two-pronged forks (Nos. 280, 281; fig. 107). The bronze forks are from Egypt, the iron one (fig. 107, bottom centre) was found on the bank of the Tiber with the spearheads mentioned below. The unusually long iron head, which was found in Spain with the iron machaira, is probably a later Greek form (No. 275; fig. 106d). This example exhibits in a high degree the superiority of iron to bronze. Other iron spearheads are from Italy; some are from the Tiber (No. 276). Three specimens, one with remains of the wooden shaft and the lashing of wire, were found near the village of Talamone on the west coast of Italy (No. 277; fig. 108), where in 225 B.C. the Romans won a decisive victory over the Gauls, who had marched successfully to within a few days of Rome, and were returning home with their plunder. Like the helmets from Kyme and Cannae, and the arms from Marathon, these spears are relics of one of the famous battles of antiquity. The Roman soldiers of later times carried spears of a different kind. They had no thrusting lance, but an extremely heavy weapon, the pilum, which they threw with great effect at close quarters. The small iron heads from Licenza (No. 278) have much the same shape as the head of the pilum. They probably belonged to light throwing-spears. The purpose of the long head was to bend and encumber the enemy after piercing his shield or armour.
Roman swords.—The collection of swords ends in those which belong to the Roman period. A fragment of a sword with a heavy iron blade seems too big for the natives of Italy, and may have been used by a Gaulish invader (No. 282). The large sword with a flat guard and an ivory and bronze handle (No. 283) is perhaps a Roman gladius, which was afterwards superseded in the army by a sword of Spanish pattern.
Fig. 107.—Bronze and Iron Spear-Butts (Nos. 279-81). Ca. 1:5.
