Xyston
| Xyston | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Information | |
| Weapon type: | Polearm |
| Use: | Weapon of war, hoplites |
| Creation time: | approx. 600 BC Chr. |
| Working time: | approx. 600 BC Chr. - 350 BC Chr. |
| Region of origin / author: |
Macedonia , |
| Distribution: | Macedonia |
| Overall length: | approx. 300 cm |
| Blade length: | approx. 30 cm |
| Handle: | Wood, leather |
| Lists on the subject | |
The xyston (Greek: ξυστόν) is an ancient lance from Greece .
description
The xyston was a lance used by both horsemen and foot soldiers for close combat . Unlike the heavy sarissa that came into use later , it was only three meters long and had a spear blade about 30 cm long. The xyston was worn by Greek hoplites next to the shield Hoplon and the sword Kopis . The xyston was also part of the armament of lightly armed Greek foot soldiers , such as the Evzonoi or the Psiloi . The xyston was also widely used by the cavalry (see illustration).
history
The xyston likely evolved from other Greek spears called Akon and Palton . The infantrymen could form a phalanx with the xyston or stab with it. The advantage of the Xyston over heavier lances was its light weight. So you could use it with one hand, which was an advantage for the mounted units.
The xyston was used as the standard weapon of the hoplites in ancient Greece . After the army reform of the Greeks by Philip II around 350 BC. The Xyston and later the Sarissa could be used against the enemies in the battlefield Phalanx at that time. This battle order and the associated discipline changed the warfare of the time. The great success of Philip II's son, Alexander the Great , is largely due to the use of the phalanx and thus the xyston and the sarissa. At the time of this army reform, the Xyston was replaced by the longer Sarissa, which reached a length of up to six meters.
From the Xyston developed around 200 BC. A very light spear, the Dourata .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Peter Connolly : The Greek Armies. Tesslofverlag, 1981, ISBN 3-7886-0181-7 , p. 54 ff.
- ^ Robert E. Gaebel: Cavalry Operations in the Ancient Greek World. University of Oklahoma Press, 2004, ISBN 0-8061-3444-5 , p. 162.
literature
- George Cameron Stone , Donald J. LaRocca: A glossary of the construction, decoration and use of arms and armor in all countries and in all times. Together with some closely related subjects. Courier Dover Publications, Mineola NY 1999, ISBN 0-486-40726-8 , p. 670.
- Robert E. Gaebel: Cavalry Operations in the Ancient Greek World. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman OK 2004, ISBN 0-8061-3444-5 .
- Ruth Sheppard: Alexander the Great at War. His Army - His Battles - His Enemies. Osprey Publishing, Oxford et al. 2008, ISBN 978-1-84603-328-5 .