Piotr wrote:
> > This site is a must:
> > http://www.stanford.edu/~richard1/hittite/contents.html
John Croft reinforces:
> Thanks. I see what you mean.
I also enjoyed that site tremendously. I reread the SUKUR paragraph several
times. I can't fault the author, but would suggest that one or more of the
SUKUR varieties may be a specific reference to javelins, distinctly opposed
to spear. They would be echeloned and employed significantly differently
than the obviously non-javelin heavy spearmen, etc. There are several
classical references to (burn hardened) wood javelins in Anatolia (certainly
Mysians, and perhaps also Phrygians), long after metal tips were used
elsewhere for spears and javelins. Presumably, they had some advantage
(possibly in range and balance) over metal tipped, and even if both were in
the same force, would be organized separately. Javelins of different
weights would be used differently..because they were released at practiced
command from a line, at a practiced distance; to impact most effectively
against lightly armored infantry in a similar opposing line. A standing
"physical security" or guard force, on the other hand, would have favored a
heavier spear. (Excuse the soldier's perspective :-)
(Arrgh, John, you are moving Tyrrhenoi into a place already called
Tyrrhenia, again! :-)
La Revedere;
Rex H. McTyeire
Bucharest, Romania
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