Weapons & Warriors: The Corseque of the Europeans

Art by TL Jeffcoat

At first glance, some would think the Corseque was an over-sized fancy spear. It is actually a member of the polearm family. It was very popular in Europe during the 1500’s and 1600’s. There were many kinds of polearms, especially in Europe. Some had small axe blades or spikes, some were topped with a single spear head, and some were shorter and had multiple blades and spikes. The Corseque was around 4.5 to 7.5 feet (or 1.5 to 2.5 meters) and topped with three blades at the tip, but not like a trident. The center blade was long and flat with two slightly thicker but shorter blades flanking either side. All three blades were made as one complete steel piece with a hollow interior at the base so that a long wooden shaft could be wedged in.

Polearms were most often used by infantry to keep warriors on horseback away from them in battle. The reach of most polearms was enough to strike down a horse or the rider before they could get in reach with hoof or sword. The Corseque had two different styles of blades. The center blade had the typical purpose, to puncture anything that charges the warrior holding it. The blade was long enough to completely penetrate the human body or the neck of a horse and strong enough to puncture a breastplate with enough momentum. 

Weapons & Warriors: The Tepoztopilli of the Aztecs

This weapon could be considered a cross between an axe and a spear. Its fat head and razor sharp edges made it possible to slash or chop like a pole-axe, but the pointed tip and long shaft also made it ideal for thrusting like a spear. Although it was enough like a spear to be throwable, the wide head made it less reliable than other ranged weapons used by the Aztecs. Most likely, this was used against charging enemies, before the Aztec infantry drew clubs and Macuahuitl for closer combat.

The Tepoztopilli art by TL Jeffcoat

The length of the entire Tepoztopilli is around 5 to 6 ft (almost 2 meters) and is one solid piece of wood. The head is about a half foot long and edged with obsidian shards. Each obsidian razor was glued into slots with a plant resin. Like the Macuahuitl, the obsidian edges are potentially sharper than a steel razor. One of these shards is sharp enough to shave with. The pieces were spaced out along the head so that after they penetrate the enemy, the sides of the shards could catch and either break off into the body or hook the spear and cause even more damage.

Weapons & Warriors: The Stingray Tete of the Māori

This was another weapon I saw on The Deadliest Warrior TV show. I don’t believe it was primarily a Māori weapon, but it was occasionally used by them. As you know, I don’t usually talk about spears unless there is more to them than a stick with a sharp end. This spear is definitely one of the wicked ones. I think this spear is almost as frightening as Makrigga to look at. Although it is less likely to disembowel you, it delivers its own kind of pain in the form of poisonous barbed stingers.

The word Tete is used by Māori for any short spear that is designed for the head to break off once it impacts its target. Most often these look like your average spear with the spearhead made of whale bone, sometimes the bone is carved into three points which allowed a wider impact point for striking at fast moving animals. The particular Tete I’m talking about today replaces the whale bone with several stingers from Stingrays. The stinger of one of these marine animals houses poison inside. Lucky for most people who are stung by a Stingray, the poison is not really lethal to humans. The incident with Steve Irwin (aka: Crocodile Hunter) was a freak accident. The stinger actually pierced his heart, and that is why he died, not because he was poisoned to death.

Weapons & Warriors: The Taiaha of the Māori

Some might call it a spear or javelin, but this weapon was not made to be thrown. Despite the appearance as a short spear, the Taiaha is bulky and not designed with aerodynamics in mind at all. In fact throwing a Taiaha could be considered a grave insult to a Māori warrior, especially if it embeds itself in something other than an enemy.

The sharp end of the Taiaha is called a tongue, which protrudes from the thicker carved head. The tongue is sharpened and knife like and is used for stabbing or blocking enemy weapons. The shaft gives the Māori better range in close combat and increases the power of a thrust. Māori use this weapon with both hands. The bottom of the shaft was also flattened so that it could be used to thrust and wound enemies.

The Māori trained to use the Taiaha defensively as well as offensively, so that they were able to block attacks and counter with quick short movements. The Taiaha was the weapon of choice by Māori warriors before gunpowder and training began at a young age. Once they were old enough to go to war; they would be masters of the Taiaha. The Taiaha art is still taught today.

Weapons & Warriors: The Makrigga of the Zande Warrior

No two cultures seem to make the spear the same way or with the same materials. The Azande people were no exception. They called their special iron tipped spear the Makrigga.

The Makrigga has to be one of the most terribly vicious spears ever designed. Unlike most spears made in the world, if the victim survived the piercing, they would be better off not pulling the spear out of the wound. With most of the spears in Asia, Europe, or America; even at the risk of bleeding out, you might have a chance to live longer if the spear is removed. This was not the case with the Makrigga.

You would be better off not attempting to remove it at all without a surgeon assisting you. You could try forcing it completely through like an oversized arrow, but seven feet (more than 2 meters) of wood is no small weapon to shove through your body. You would need help if you planned to push the spear through and to break it. The wooden shaft would be pretty hard to break by yourself without causing more damage hacking away at it. Don't forget the other problem with pushing something through that hasn't already pierced completely through, the risk of cutting something you might need to live.

Weapons & Warriors: The Naginata of the Samurai

The Samurai were some of the greatest and most disciplined warriors in history. One thing they were well known for was having the right weapon for the right situation. A Katana or Tessen had limited use against a mounted opponent. The Naginata was designed to put distance between the Samurai and his opponent.

At a glance, the Naginata looks similar to a spear with a long thin curved blade, but it is actually related to the poleaxe, halberd, and even more so to the glaive. The wooden pole was anywhere from 5 to 6 feet in length. The end of the Naginata was fixed with a 3 foot sword-like blade that had a long steel piece with a hole opposite the sharp end. This thin sliver of metal was slid through a steel cap in the end of the pole and a wooden peg was squeezed through the hole lined up with a hole in the pole. This made it easier for the warrior to sharpen his blade by removing it first instead of trying to maneuver around that entire cutting surface with a very long pole pulling on it.

Weapons & Warriors: The Spears of the Norsemen

The Spear is the most commonly used weapon in the Norseman arsenal, the axe was not, although that was pretty common as well. Spears were more common for several reasons, starting with the cost to make them. They were not made with a high grade metal as axes or swords and required less of it overall as well.

The Norseman spear was not a small tool, but the Norseman were not small men either. They used their naturally large size and strength to their advantage in combat. Some f these warriors were believed to throw two spears at the same time (one from each hand). The effectiveness of this in long range throwing is questionable, but the odds of hitting your target within twenty feet are probably improved.

Norse spears came in various sizes and shapes, but pretty much all were designed with the same concept. They had a long thin leaf shaped steel head attached to a wooden shaft. Norsemen did not often decorate or engrave the spear. There wasn’t much of an impression of success for carrying a spear, as most farmers owned a spear or two.

Weapons & Warriors: The Atlatl of the Aztecs




This is a relatively simple device to create and use, but was a shock for the more advanced conquistadors who had never seen anything like it. The Atlatl itself is not a weapon, but was used to throw long darts. The darts were the equivalent of a javelin, the main difference in that they were thinner and much more flexible.

The Atlatl is basically a carved piece of wood about eighteen to twenty four inches. One end is either hollowed out into the shape of a cup or a point. This is where the butt end of the dart is placed. The other end is the handle. The dart’s length can vary from four to six feet. The longer the dart the more speed and force upon impact. The dart is tipped with sharpened flint and although it cannot penetrate steel breastplates, it is quite lethal in the hands of a trained and accurate thrower.

The dart is laid across the Atlatl with the handle in the direction of where the warrior wants to throw. When the warrior swings the Atlatl forward like an extension of his arm, the dart bends and then springs from the end of the weapon at a much higher velocity than would be humanly possible if the dart had been thrown by hand. The darts are capable of traveling at over ninety miles an hour. In less than fifty feet away, you still won’t have much time to get out of the way.

Weapons & Warriors: Spartan Phalanx, The War Machine

Art by Steven DeVon Jones

Part 2 of the double header finale for the Spartans. The conclusion to yesterdays post about the warrior culture that made the Spartan Phalanx the most elite hoplite formation in history.

If you read some of the previous posts on Sparta, you’ve already got a grasp on what a phalanx is. Simply put, it’s a rectangular formation of heavily armed infantry. They move as one and fight as one. The key item of the phalanx was the Aspis. This large round shield was large enough to protect a man fully if he crouched behind it. The trick to using it with a unit of men is by holding it slightly to their left so the wielder could see around the edge of the right and stab his Dory spear at anything that crossed his vision. Not only the Spartan holding the shield in the front was wielding a spear through the opening. The rows of soldiers behind the front row would stick their spears out as well, creating a layered porcupine effect. The shield would protect the entire left side of the Spartan and offer some protection to the right side of the Spartan on his left.This allowed the men in front to focus on killing what was directly in front of them, and the fewer angles you had to worry about, the more focused you could be on what was in your path.

This second row held their shield up overhead and angled to where it added a higher barrier to the one in the very front row to block arrows, spears or other projectiles from penetrating into the phalanx. Therefore protecting the men not involved in the combat yet. The rows behind these other rows would also hold their shields high, to protect themselves from any projectiles from above. Their shields were made so thick and solid, that no matter how many arrows an enemy could fire, the shield would never be rendered useless.

From a distance, the phalanx would appear as a bronze wall with many spears protruding from the front, either slowly marching toward the enemy or digging into a defensive position. They could literally wait all day when they were defending their place. For example, the Spartans at Thermopylae defended a narrow valley against a tremendous land army. It only took three hundred to defend the pass.

At that time, most nations bowed to Xerxes without even putting up a fight, in fear of being crushed by his massive army. It could possibly be the biggest army to ever be assembled in those times. Yet, despite their numbers, they still had inferior training, and relied more on their ability to overwhelm opponents facing them in open ground. When they came upon the single phalanx in the valley, they assumed they would just crush it with numbers. What a surprise it must have been to Xerxes when not only did they fail to crush it on the first push, but they were repelled. They continued to repel the Persians until scouts found a secret path through the mountains to allow them to flank the Spartans. The seven to eight hundred Greeks protecting the Spartans flanks never stood a chance, because they were not raised like Spartans. They were from places like Athens, and had come to help King Leonidas, but they were nothing but farmers and blacksmiths. None of them were soldiers.

Moving and fighting in unison is not easy, especially without radios or bullhorns to shout over all the screaming in mid combat. The Spartans spent time every day by lining up in their formation and practicing marching and fighting as a unit. Each was trained to fight the correct way no matter where they stood in their formation. This way, if someone fell in front of them, they could immediately close the gap and the phalanx would hold tight. Whenever an order was given by the commander of the phalanx, it was passed on by those around him so that all of the phalanx would know their plans. The video in yesterday’s post about Spartan Culture also shows great examples of the Spartan war machine in action.

The Dory was the main weapon used by the Spartans as the enemy stepped into range. The spear tips would spring out from the small gaps between shields with deadly accuracy and then retract as fast. The double tipped Dory was designed exactly for this purpose. When the tip was broken on one end of the Dory, the Spartan would flip it and use the bladed rear. If both ends were broken, the Spartan drew his Kopis. This meat cleaver usually meant more motion and closer enemies, but this is what the Spartan lived for. Even down to their swords, the Spartans would hold the phalanx and rarely break formation, hacking away their enemies from behind their impenetrable shields.

The secret to the Spartan’s phalanx that allowed this temporary victory against such impossible odds was more than the formation of the bronze wall. It was the Spartan culture, their military training from youth. The entire nation was built for war, and as the war raged on after the battle at Thermopylae was over, the Spartans took command of the united Greek nations to stand against the Persians and not only expel them once and for all, but then advanced into the Persian borders and claimed several key areas that made sure that the Persians would never return. They invaded their invaders. I bet Xerxes never expected a tiny blip on the map to ever do that to his vast empire.


Next week I will start an in-depth look at the ingenious and rare weapons of the Rajput.

I hope you enjoyed this edition of Weapons and Warriors, click here to view the entire catalog of weapons and cultures. Thank you, see you next week.

Weapons & Warriors: The Dory of Sparta

The first weapon an enemy faced when fighting a Spartan was his spear, also known by the Spartans as a dory. These spears were very long at about seven to nine feet in length and were used primarily while the warriors were in phalanx formations. The phalanx is when the warriors lined up in a square or rectangle. Those in front would hold their shield in front of them a little to their left and covering their fellow warrior’s right side. This created small windows that they would poke their spear out of. Not just the first row of men either. They usually set up the formation about eight rows deep. So those behind the front line would hold their shields high to block any incoming arrows or rocks and poke their own spear out of any space available. This is quite a formidable site if you were facing this on the battlefield. It was the equivalent of a Bronze Age tank. Invincible and deadly to anything that tried to face it head on, except for maybe another phalanx.

Doesn’t sound effective you say? Ask the Persians at Thermopylae. They had an army of three hundred thousand including ten thousand of their most elite warriors called the Immortals. Three hundred Spartans used this formation to bottleneck the Persians into a valley and stop them in their tracks. The only thing behind the Spartans was a few hundred farmers from the neighboring regions, untrained for war and scared out of their minds. Even the Immortals were defeated when they marched against the Spartans. It’s not just a movie storyline, this was a historical event. The heavy shields and armor forced enemies to close in for melee combat to break the phalanx. This was not an easy thing to do when the broad leaf shaped blade of the dory was protruding several feet from the impenetrable bronze wall and wielded by a lifelong disciplined warrior. Most of the enemies of the Greeks had not adopted shields or using metal to coat them, making their front line extremely vulnerable to the dory.

Spartans trained with the dory all their lives and they had no equals on the battlefield when it came to the accuracy of how they used this weapon. The spear made an excellent ranged weapon as well. They were built to be well balanced, straight and sturdy so that it could be thrown as easily as jabbed. The leaf shaped blade was designed so that if anyone was pierced in the torso by this spear, it didn’t matter where, they would soon be dead because it was wide enough that it was nearly impossible for it to miss an organ. It could also be fatal if it struck a limb because the odds of slicing through a major artery was pretty good. Unlike a sharpened stick that could miss vital organs or be deflected by armor, the wide blade was made of bronze so it could pierce armor as well.

The dory wasn’t meant to be a close ranged weapon, but when it was in the hands of the well trained Spartans, it was as deadly as a sword. The rear end of the dory was often tipped with a bronze spike to be used in melee if the Spartan desired to do so instead of drawing his sword.

Here's a bonus pick just because I had requests to see the alternate and wildly popular Spartan apparel from the recent movie 300. I'm sorry ladies, but according to history, most Spartans actually wore a bronze muscle cuirass over their chests. The armor was usually designed for the man wearing it, however and it more than likely did not do justice to what was underneath it. Keep in mind I said most. I think read somewhere at one point the Spartans had removed the cuirass to allow more flexibility and agility.

The Spartans exercised and practiced combat as part of a daily routine. The movie probably did not exaggerate the physique as much as it did the violence. The Spartans were the champions of the ancient Olympics year after year in their time for a reason. That wasn't because they let any part of their body become imperfect. Some historians have said that the Spartans even disposed of any newborns who had any form of imperfection. They took strides in perfecting their genetic lines. They're daily combat routines also weeded out their week, who were even killed in practice if they were unable to protect themselves. That is a topic for a different post however.

Hope you have enjoyed another post on an ancient weapon. See you next week.

I hope you enjoyed this edition of Weapons and Warriors, click here to view the entire catalog of weapons and cultures. Thank you, see you next week.