Talk:Sarissa

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Could we maybe get a picture? Cameron Nedland 03:25, 30 January 2006 (UTC)

Contents 1 Length 2 Deflecting Arrows 3 Picture that shows the real length? 4 Sarissa replaced by Gladius 5 merge with Pike article?

[edit] Length

What is the evidence for the length of a Sarissa being 13-21 Feet? Polybius indicates a length of 14-16 Cubits or 21-24 Feet. Phillip II is supposed to have increased the length of the Macedonian Hoplite Spear, but the sources conflict as to by how much and the original length is itself unknown. Also, what is the evidence for this weapon having been divided into two pieces on the march? I have heard this assertion before, but I think it was a modern supposition, rather than derived from Ancient Sources or Archaeological Evidence. M.J.Stanham

According to research that the creative assembly carried out prior to making the pc game Rome: Total war the sarrisa was 6-7m in length.I don't know about dividing it though. Wardhog 21:58, 6 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Deflecting Arrows

The article states, "The back rows bore their pikes angled upwards in readiness, which served the additional purpose to deflect incoming arrows." I think this needs supporting evidence.

Polybius makes this assertion:

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/polybius-maniple.html

I have to admit that I can't really imagine quite how it works, though. M.J.Stanham

Sorry to repeat this but according to research that the creative assembly carried out prior to making the pc game Rome: Total war a group of spear points together could effectivly spin arrows off balance or turn them around so that the pointy end points the wrong way. Wardhog 21:58, 6 June 2007 (UTC)

It works if you consider size. As an infantryman, you would probably not notice anything if your comrades were killed, but as a commander even a small amount of slowed or deflected arrows would result in significantly less fatal casualties. Even clipping the blade of the spear would have lowered the velocity of the arrow.

Would this tactic have been more useful when besieging a city or assaulting a fortified position? Or did the Persians try to thin out the Macedonian Phalanx with arrows? It was my impression that Darius fought the Macedonian's more intimately. —Preceding unsigned comment added by T.elias13 (talk • contribs) 00:18, 10 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Picture that shows the real length?

Sorry, but the link to the picture of a college professor holding a sarissa is actually misleading. It's taken with wide-angled lens and has very distorted perspective. The sarissa appears longer than it really is. I'd suggest either the removal of the link or changing the commentary. Zoran M 15:04, 8 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Sarissa replaced by Gladius

I didn't see a citation for this, and it seems misleading. We know short blades were used by phalangites of all stripes for centuries by the fourth century BCE but spears remained a principle weapon of soldiers of foot well after the Sarissa. The Gladius wasn't even introduced to Legions until the 3rd Century BCE and the short sword was certainly not yet a stock weapon. The spear preceeded it.

The description just seemed extraneous to me. —Preceding unsigned comment added by T.elias13 (talk • contribs) 00:06, 10 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] merge with Pike article?

This article needs some work, maybe we could just merge it with the current article Pike? Otherwise can someone help me with the Pike article as the introduction states that the Pike was used "by Europeans from the early middle ages" which totally ignores the Sarissa and contradicts this article. I've tried editing it myself but it gets reverted every time. Master z0b (talk) 06:02, 1 May 2008 (UTC)