A Question about arms avalibility in Rome at 500bc. -- myArmoury.com

A Conrad

Hi all,

I am wondering about what weapons would be avaliable in Rome at around 500bc (Start of the Republic).

What types of weapons?

What quality/matarial?

Same with Armor...

Many many thanks!

Drew

Sean Flynt · Posted: Wed 10 Nov, 2004 1:55 pm Post subject:

Hey, Drew. I can't answer your question, but I wonder if you've seen this book:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1855325136/re...eader-page

The Men-At-Arms books are inexpensive and generally pretty good. This one sounds like it's right up your alley (scroll through the pages to read the back cover blurb). It covers from the founding of Rome through the 3rd c. BC.

Maybe some of the "ancient" folks around here will chime in.

Allan Senefelder · Industry Professional

Pick up a copy of Greece And Rome At War by Peter Connolly (ISBN 1-85367-303-X). Peter is a very well respected schollar in the area of ancient warfare . The book is heavilly illustrated and covers Rome from pre-Republic to its collapse
both on land and naval.

David Wilson · Posted: Wed 10 Nov, 2004 5:02 pm Post subject:

I agree, search for Peter Connolly's Greece and Rome at War, which has a large section devoted to Early Roman military tech. Basically, at this time, there would have been a distinct Hellenic influence, at least among the upper classes, while the lesser ranks would be using arms more in line with native Italian cultures. What kind of equipment you carried depended upon your wealth, the military reforms which gave Rome a true professional army came much later as well as much of the arms considered typically Roman (ie, the gladius, lorica segmentata, Gallic-type helmets, and so forth)

A Conrad · Posted: Wed 10 Nov, 2004 5:08 pm Post subject:

Sweet! Thank you thank you. I just ordered Men at arms, and I will look for the other one soon!

Does anyone know off the top of their head...

I know that the Iron age was well underway at this point. But had steel (Or the process of making steel) made an appearance? If not in Rome, in Spain, or other nearby areas?

At this point I am operating under the impression that the following was avaliable:
Bows: Straight and Compound Recurve
Spears
Pikes
Staffs
Swords - Various types, but mostly "Short" varities.
Axes
Sling
Daggers
Clubs
Trident

Iron for the most part, but not steel yet...

Armor being mostly Boiled leather, banded, splint, and some chain, depending on wealth.

Thanks again for the help!

Drew

Sam Barris · Posted: Wed 10 Nov, 2004 6:41 pm Post subject:

500 BC. Sometime between when the Greeks sent Xerxes' army back to where it came from and when Alexander went on the warpath. The books are still your best bet, but I can tell you that the Iron Age was still in full swing. Steel wouldn't make an apearance for several centuries.

Standard Roman arms included the gladius, spatha, pilum, vertum, scutum, lorica segmentata, lorica hamata, lorica squamata and others. However, 500 BC is before Rome really became the power in the Mediterranean. I did find a few articles on the subject though.

http://www.barca.fsnet.co.uk/Rome-weapons-armor.htm
http://www.roman-empire.net/army/army.html
http://militaryhistory.about.com/cs/theromans/
http://www.unrv.com/military/roman-republican-legion.php

Hope they help.

Kirk Lee Spencer · Posted: Wed 10 Nov, 2004 7:48 pm Post subject:

Hey Drew...

I have always seen Romulus carrying an impressive bronze antenna sword of some sort. So a few centuries later maybe an antenna sword with a cast bronze hilt and a forged iron leaf blade.

ks

Patrick Kelly · Posted: Wed 10 Nov, 2004 10:51 pm Post subject:

I have the aforementioned books and highly recommend them.

Another good one is Warfare in the Classical World by John Warry, University of Oklahoma Press.