. The life of the Greeks and Romans. ename /uLeaaykvXov, hasta amentata (Fig. 274, h). About thehandling of these spears with straps opinions differed for a long-time ; both written and monumental proofs with regard to thispoint are, indeed, very scanty. Kochly was the first to treatthe question comprehensively, illustrating it at the same time bymeans of practical trials (see Verhandlungen der 26. Versamm-lung deutscher Philologen und Schulmanner, Leipzig, 1869,pp. 226-38). According to him, this weapon was adopted by the peltastai from the gymna-sion. It must be considered asa javelin, 2\ to
. The life of the Greeks and Romans. ename /uLeaaykvXov, hasta amentata (Fig. 274, h). About thehandling of these spears with straps opinions differed for a long-time ; both written and monumental proofs with regard to thispoint are, indeed, very scanty. Kochly was the first to treatthe question comprehensively, illustrating it at the same time bymeans of practical trials (see Verhandlungen der 26. Versamm-lung deutscher Philologen und Schulmanner, Leipzig, 1869,pp. 226-38). According to him, this weapon was adopted by the peltastai from the gymna-sion. It must be considered asa javelin, 2\ to 3 Greek yards{Ellen) long by |- inch thick,to which, in its centre of gra-vity, a leather strap was two ends of the strap weretied round the shaft severaltimes and arranged in a loop,through which the fingers were put (hi^yKvXwjtievoi. Ovid, Metamorph., XII., 326 : inserit amento digitos). At the momentof throwing the spear the loop was pulled violently, by meansof which the strap, in being unwound, conveyed to the spear a. THE SPEAR. 243 rotating movement, similar to that of the missiles of our rifledguns. Fig. 275 is the only existing antique representationillustrative of the use of this weapon. From a passage inPlutarchs Life of Philopoimen, it appears that the ankyleremained attached to the shaft. That commander is hit by aspear in both thighs, and, owing to the force of the throw, thestrap also is pushed through one thigh, which makes the extrac-tion of the weapon a difficult matter. The longest of all spears, called vapiacra, aapiaa, were usedby the Makedonians. According to Greek authors they were atfirst 16, in later times 14 yards long, which, reckoning the Greekyard at 11 foot, would make 24 and 21 feet respectively. Aspear of such length would have been unwieldy in the hands ofthe strongest soldier; we therefore agree with Rustow andKochly ( Geschichte des griechischen Kriegswesens, p. 238 etseq.) in changing the yards of antique measurements into
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