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Roman Pilum

Type Object Region Italy Time c. 1–400

The Roman pilum was the standard throwing weapon of legionary infantry, combining an iron head with a wooden shaft;…

Timeline

  1. c. -300–1Italian Peninsula · Italian PeninsulaIn the mid-Republic each legionary carried two pila, heavy and light types, volleys before contact to weaken enemy defenses and morale.
  2. c. 1–200Roman legion camp · Roman EmpireIn the early Empire pila were forged uniformly in legion workshops; the head design balanced penetration and bending, forming a standardized kit with the short sword and rectangular shield.
  3. c. 200–400Roman Empire · Roman EmpireLate-period legions still retained the pilum, though numbers and usage changed; some units switched to lighter javelins, and pilum tactics evolved with reforms to infantry organization.

Sources