DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1021#0260
ARMS AND WAR 209
one might suppose. In the Acropolis graves at Mycenae,
abounding as they did in metals, the spear-heads found
were but few, while in the later tombs sword-blades as well
as spear-heads are, as a rule, of rare occurrence. Arrow-
heads, on the other hand, are comparatively abundant.
Now it is true that we cannot safely reason from the ab-
sence of funeral offerings, for the survivors, as we have
seen, often removed from the tomb the best of these, arms
undoubtedly included. Still, the fact of their absence,
taken together with the paucity of defensive armor and
with the evidence of certain monuments (notably the Siege
Scene), justifies the conclusion that sword and spear were
arms for the few, not for the mass. While princes wore
the sword with its richly ornate blade and sheath and belt,
and their picked men bore shield and spear, the rank and
file doubtless fought simply with bow and sling.
Thus we may conceive a Mycenaean army marching out
to battle. The chief mounted on his chariot (as we see
him on the stelae that marked his tomb and the A Myce.
signet he wore) fares forth in panoply — with naeanarmy
his great emblazoned shield, his plumed helmet, his bronze
sword inlaid with living scenes from heroic life and slung from
a baldric glittering with gold. The lancers follow (in the
later time at least, as we see them on the Warrior Vase),
with shield and corselet, leather greaves and helmets set off
with terrific horns and horse-tails, — possibly with flashing
tusks of the wild boar as well — with the long lance at
" carry arms " and knapsack or canteen slung from it.
With them we may fancy the braves of the battle-axe and
club ready for the hand-to-hand encounter. And bringing
up the rear moves the great mob of the bow and sling, —
either nude or barely clouted, and without shields — who
do their fighting at long range.
one might suppose. In the Acropolis graves at Mycenae,
abounding as they did in metals, the spear-heads found
were but few, while in the later tombs sword-blades as well
as spear-heads are, as a rule, of rare occurrence. Arrow-
heads, on the other hand, are comparatively abundant.
Now it is true that we cannot safely reason from the ab-
sence of funeral offerings, for the survivors, as we have
seen, often removed from the tomb the best of these, arms
undoubtedly included. Still, the fact of their absence,
taken together with the paucity of defensive armor and
with the evidence of certain monuments (notably the Siege
Scene), justifies the conclusion that sword and spear were
arms for the few, not for the mass. While princes wore
the sword with its richly ornate blade and sheath and belt,
and their picked men bore shield and spear, the rank and
file doubtless fought simply with bow and sling.
Thus we may conceive a Mycenaean army marching out
to battle. The chief mounted on his chariot (as we see
him on the stelae that marked his tomb and the A Myce.
signet he wore) fares forth in panoply — with naeanarmy
his great emblazoned shield, his plumed helmet, his bronze
sword inlaid with living scenes from heroic life and slung from
a baldric glittering with gold. The lancers follow (in the
later time at least, as we see them on the Warrior Vase),
with shield and corselet, leather greaves and helmets set off
with terrific horns and horse-tails, — possibly with flashing
tusks of the wild boar as well — with the long lance at
" carry arms " and knapsack or canteen slung from it.
With them we may fancy the braves of the battle-axe and
club ready for the hand-to-hand encounter. And bringing
up the rear moves the great mob of the bow and sling, —
either nude or barely clouted, and without shields — who
do their fighting at long range.