Ancient shafted arms: telum, baculum, lancea

Telum: everything hurled by hand

Six figures illustrate the general term telum, which for the ancients named all things in war fit to be thrown by hand: darts, sticks, arrows, shafts, lances, stakes and stones.

Shafts of ash, hazel and sorb-wood

Shafts (astae) are said to have been invented by the Lacedaemonians; the best and most pliant are of ash and hazel, but better still of sorb-wood for its suppleness. The astili are described as smaller lances thrown by hand.

Baculum, the staff for beating slaves

The baculum is defined as a knotless staff with which wretched slaves were beaten. The fire-hardened fusti drawn above it are called the first weapons of the human race.

Lancea, said to be a Spanish word

Pliny is cited for the claim that the lancea was invented by the Aetolians, while Varro holds that 'lancia' is a Spanish word.

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Ancient shafted arms: telum, baculum, lancea

On this page

Telum: everything hurled by hand

Shafts of ash, hazel and sorb-wood

Baculum, the staff for beating slaves

Lancea, said to be a Spanish word