What weapons were used by the Greeks and Romans?

The Greeks and Romans both made extensive use of artillery for shooting large arrows, bolts or spherical stones or metal balls. Occasionally they also used ranged early thermal weapons.

Did the Romans use two handed swords?

The two-handed falx was a pole-arm. It consisted of a 3 feet (0.91 m) long wooden shaft with a long curved iron blade of nearly-equal length attached to the end. However, it left its user vulnerable because, being a two-handed weapon, the warrior could not also make use of a shield.

What weapons did Alexander the Great use?

What was the most common weapon in ancient Greece?

The primary weapon of ancient Greeks was the spear. If it broke they used a short single hand sword known as Xiphos. The Xiphos had a double-edged blade that rarely measured longer than 20 inches which made it useful in close range combat.

What types of weapons were used by Greek soldiers?

Popular ranged weapons were the bow (toxa), javelin (akontia) and sling (sfendonai). While the bow was a relatively uncommon weapon (the wooden stave bow used had a limited range), some troops treated their arrows by thrusting them into rotting corpses, thus creating a crude form of biological weapon.

Why was gladius so effective?

The short blade of the gladius Hispaniensis made it an ideal weapon when soldiers were closely engaged with the enemy and gave its carrier a distinct advantage over an opponent armed with an unwieldy and heavier, longer-bladed sword who had no space in which to swing his blade.

Did the Greeks use Longswords?

The primary weapon that was used by Greek troops was a two-to-three meter spear with a leaf-shaped blade at one end and a short spike at the other known as the doru. Mounted cavalry were known to have used a thinner spear or very long lance (xyston) which provided a range advantage over shorter infantry spears.

What were Longswords used for?

A powerful and versatile weapon, the longsword is used for hewing, slicing, and stabbing. The sword is commonly held in combat with both hands (although some may be used single-handed). The blade of the sword is straight and predominantly double-edged.

Why was Alexander the Great so successful in battle?

Why Was Alexander the Great Successful? Alexander’s success lay in his military genius, knowing how to use his cavalry and troops precisely at key moments in battle. It seemed he was close to defeat several times but could use the situation to his advantage by luring his enemies into a deeper trap.