The Plumbata was a war dart that saw service in the Late Roman Army and into the Early Byzantine Period, from the third to roughly the seventh centuries. Thrown either under or overhand, the plumbata was weighted by a lead ball towards the head, and it was able to penetrate armor by falling at a nearly ninety-degree angle, with the barbs on the head making it difficult to pull out.
In this video we'll examine the origins of the plumbata, how it was used, the archaeology, textual sources, and what the developments and observations in experimental archaeology can tell us about its use on the battlefield.
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