Weapons from Biblical times (specific questions)

[Dansiph]

Does anyone here have any knowledge of the weapons from this span of time?

Eventually, I would like to buy a sword for mainly display. I want the sword to be something used in and around the area and time frame of the Bible.

I've done a little research and the weapon would most likely be bronze if it was a sword (I think?) and could possibly be two styles. One being a Khopesh (curved) and the other a straight blade common in Greece and surrounding areas. Which weapon do you think would have been used moreso in the time and area? Or do we simply not know?

Are there any Bible verses which describe weapons in a literal way?

Replica of a sword found in Crete:

http://www.bronze-age-swords.com/swords_dec_2010/Swords_for_sale/DSCF1869.jpg

Replica of a sword found in and around Egypt and the near East:

http://www.bronze-age-swords.com/forsale/Canaanite_khopesh.jpg

The reason this is posted in hobbies is weapon collecting, use and practice is a hobby of many people, for example, HEMA.

 

[JackRT]

Almost all of the Bible would be in the Iron Age.

 

[Radagast]

Does anyone here have any knowledge of the weapons from this span of time?

Eventually, I would like to buy a sword for mainly display. I want the sword to be something used in and around the area and time frame of the Bible.

Well, that's crossing from bronze age into iron age times. Iron weapons are mentioned in the OT, but at first they seem to be unusual.

What exact Biblical time are you thinking of? Abraham was Bronze Age. David was Iron Age (1 Samuel 17:7), although the Israelites may not always have had as many iron weapons as their enemies.

In general, weapon shape would probably much like that of nearby major civilisations of the same time period. But getting the time period right is essential.

 

[Dansiph]

Almost all of the Bible would be in the Iron Age.

My main thoughts were about the likes of David. I thought this was the late bronze age?

 

[Dansiph]

Well, that's crossing from bronze age into iron age times. Iron weapons are mentioned in the OT, but at first they seem to be unusual.

What exact Biblical time are you thinking of? Abraham was Bronze Age. David was Iron Age (1 Samuel 17:7), although the Israelites may not always have had as many iron weapons as their enemies.

In general, weapon shape would probably much like that of nearby major civilisations of the same time period. But getting the time period right is essential.

I understand. I'm willing to be wrong obviously as I want the sword to be accurate. Let's just say a sword of David's time and go from there

 

[Dansiph]

My reason for not thinking the weapon would be iron is from a probably innacurate documentary but with a possibly accurate statement about the iron age. It said that just because it's the iron age doesn't mean swords were made of iron a lot

 

[Radagast]

My main thoughts were about the likes of David. I thought this was the late bronze age?

From the time period, I would have said early Iron Age. Also, from the biblical text, iron gets mentioned, but it seems to still be unusual.

From roughly the time period, here's a Babylonian bronze sword: sword

 

[JackRT]

Battles at the time were mostly shield wall against shield wall. The weapons would have been short stabbing swords or possibly axes. As the shield walls closed spears would quickly have become useless. There were of course archers and slingers as well. The cavalry weapons would have been a lance or long spear plus a long slashing sword. Roman and Greek weaponry are well described on the internet.

 

[Dansiph]

Battles at the time were mostly shield wall against shield wall. The weapons would have been short stabbing swords or possibly axes. As the shield walls closed spears would quickly have become useless. There were of course archers and slingers as well. The cavalry weapons would have been a lance or long spear plus a long slashing sword. Roman and Greek weaponry are well described on the internet.

I agree mostly. But the reserves and those behind the front line might have carried spears more than shorter weapons. I also think the best defense against Cavalry is a spear. Give me a spear AND a short sword lol.

My (mostly speculation) thoughts are that infantry combat was quite advanced at various times but you are right there were still probably lots of shield wall against shield wall

 

[Radagast]

It said that just because it's the iron age doesn't mean swords were made of iron a lot

That's very true. At first, kings and special warriors had the only iron weapons.

 

[Radagast]

I also think the best defense against Cavalry is a spear.

A looooooooooooong spear. Like the ones Philip of Macedon introduced.

there were still probably lots of shield wall against shield wall

Shield wall against shield wall is itself fairly advanced. It requires keeping the wall straight, which means a fair degree of training (and possibly the use of musical instruments in battle, to maintain marching rhythm, which is what the Greeks did).

 

[JackRT]

I understand. I'm willing to be wrong obviously as I want the sword to be accurate. Let's just say a sword of David's time and go from there

In David's time they were transitioning from the bronze into the iron age. David and the senior officers almost certainly would have had iron weapons. The common soldier not so much.

 

[Dansiph]

A looooooooooooong spear. Like the ones Philip of Macedon introduced.

Shield wall against shield wall is itself fairly advanced. It requires keeping the wall straight, which means a fair degree of training (and possibly the use of musical instruments in battle, to maintain marching rhythm, which is what the Greeks did).

I rated this funny because the image didn't show. I now realise you were entirely serious. Sorry lol

 

[Radagast]

I rated this funny because the image didn't show. I now realise you were entirely serious. Sorry lol

No worries.

This was actually the military advance that helped Alexander conquer the world. Philip made the spears a bit longer than they had been, and two-handed, and then got soldiers to attach the shields to their shoulders so they didn't need a hand for that.

A Macedonian phalanx equipped that way could deter any cavalry charge.

 

[Daniel Marsh]

Warfare in the Old Testament: The Organization, Weapons, and Tactics of ...
By Boyd Seevers

https://www.google.com/search?biw=1...1.64.psy-ab..0.1.100...33i299k1.0.b3GrCO0863A

 

[Radagast]

In David's time they were transitioning from the bronze into the iron age. David and the senior officers almost certainly would have had iron weapons. The common soldier not so much.

Right.

On the other side, Goliath (1 Samuel 17:4-7) was the Philistines' best-equipped champion. His armour was all bronze, and so was one of his weapons, but his spear-point was iron.

 

[JackRT]

A looooooooooooong spear. Like the ones Philip of Macedon introduced.

Shield wall against shield wall is itself fairly advanced. It requires keeping the wall straight, which means a fair degree of training (and possibly the use of musical instruments in battle, to maintain marching rhythm, which is what the Greeks did).

The Greek phalanx when first introduced was devastating. In a museum they had a Greek long spear on display --- it had a sort of hilt about halfway along. I asked the curator about it. He said that in the heat of battle when the adrenalin was raging a spear could completely pierce an enemy soldier and he would still run up the length of the spear and kill you with his sword or axe. The hilt was to keep him at a safe distance. Battles in those days were up front and very personal and very brutal.

 

[Dansiph]

No worries.

This was actually the military advance that helped Alexander conquer the world. Philip made the spears a bit longer, and two-handed, and then got soldiers to attach the shields to their shoulders so they didn't need a hand for that.

A Macedonian phalanx equipped that way could deter any cavalry charge.

Just had a look at the Macedonian phalanx. Interesting stuff. I ended up looking at Pikes in Europe and they were also very long.

Pike (weapon) - Wikipedia

 

[W2L]

Iron age started in 800 BC if im not mistaken.

 

[Radagast]

The Greek phalanx when first introduced was devastating.

Agreed, and even more so after Philip of Macedon's improvements.