Roman Spears

Roman soldiers were commonly equipped with long weapons suitable for thrusting or throwing. The pilum (1) was designed to penetrate its target. Its heavy weight limited the range at which it could be thrown but enabled the weapon to pierce through armor or a shield. There is evidence that Roman legionnaires often carried the pilum. Simpler spears (2) had a wooden shaft and a tip of forged iron. Auxiliary infantry sometimes carried one or more spears of this type. It is unknown what kind of spear was used to jab the side of Jesus’ body.