File:Hoplite_with_spear_from_Greco–Persian_Wars.png · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

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spear

Also known as Spears, speer

thumb|upright|Spear-armed hoplite from [[Greco-Persian Wars]]

AI overview

A spear is a weapon consisting of a pointed head attached to a long shaft, used for thrusting or throwing in combat. It was a primary weapon for ancient warriors like the Greek hoplites pictured here, making it one of the most important tools of warfare for thousands of years.

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Wikidata facts

Image: A spear and a series of javelins..png

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Commons category: Spears
time of discovery or invention: 400000-00-

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~31 min read

Article

35 sections

Contents

Etymology
Origins
Prehistory
Military
Europe
Classical antiquity
Ancient Greeks
Ancient Romans
Medieval period
Infantry
Cavalry
Introduction of gunpowder
Middle East
Modern era
Asia
China
India
Japan
Philippines
Africa
South Africa
Egypt
The Americas
West Mexico and South America (Pre-Colombia)
Native Americans
Hunting
Types
Modern revival
Gymnastics
In myth and legend
Symbolism
Legends
See also
Related weapons
Notes and references

thumb|upright|Spear-armed hoplite from [[Greco-Persian Wars]]

A spear is a polearm consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head. The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with fire hardened spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft, such as bone, flint, obsidian, copper, bronze, iron, or steel. The most common design for hunting and/or warfare, since modern times has incorporated a metal spearhead shaped like a triangle, diamond, or leaf. The heads of fishing spears usually feature multiple sharp points, with or without barbs.