Melee weapons have existed for as long as humanity itself. It constantly evolved and at a certain stage it turned out to be a stabbing weapon - one of the most common and deadly. We will try to talk about its varieties, as well as trace the chain of evolution from the time of Hellas to the present day.
What is this
To begin with, let's define what is meant by the term stabbing weapon. So it is customary to call any weapon with which damage to the enemy is inflicted by poking strikes. The small area of the wound in this case is compensated by its depth, damage to internal organs and profuse bleeding.
Types of stabbing weapons are very numerous and varied. It is often hard to believe that two objects that are completely dissimilar in weight, shape and size can belong to the same group.
It was primarily used during wars. Most types of weapons can be divided into two types: bladed (swords, knives and a huge number of their modifications) and polearms (spears and dozens of their varieties). In addition, there were a large number of combined weapons - piercing-cutting, piercing-chopping, and so on. In different erasdifferent goals were set - sometimes inflicting, if not too accurate, but a very powerful blow, and sometimes a relatively weak injection inflicted precisely in a certain place became more important.
However, piercing weapons were also used in everyday life. For example, the horn, with which our ancestors went to the bear, is a typical representative of that. However, it was also actively used in combat - starting from the Patriotic War and ending with the times of the Mongol invasion and further, into the depths of centuries.
What did the ancient Greeks fight with
Of course, people fought with stabbing weapons long before Hellas appeared. But it was here that complex tactics were first applied, where one of the main ones was the battle in the ranks. And this left a certain imprint not only on the course of the battle, but also on the requirements for the weapons that were used in this case.
This is how the most famous stabbing weapons of Antiquity appeared - sarissa and xiphos.
Sarissa was a spear 5-7 meters long, used by soldiers since the time of Tsar Philip (father of Alexander the Great). Considerable length did not allow the enemy to approach a distance sufficient to strike. And a continuous forest of spears did not leave the enemy the slightest chance of victory - the Greeks easily defeated troops that were many times superior in number.
When the turn came to close combat, the Greeks snatched xiphos from their scabbards - short swords that were perfect for inflicting wounds on both the enemy in armor and unprotected by either metal or skin. The small length (about 60 centimeters) made the xiphos primarily a stabbing weapon, but if necessary, they could also inflict the strongest chopping blows, cutting off arms and legs.
Arsenal of Medieval fighters
The stabbing weapons of the Middle Ages are surprisingly diverse. If we count only what was used in Europe, then several hundred varieties will be typed. Horsemen and infantry, light and heavily armed, operating in Russia and in England, Scandinavia and Spain - all this made it necessary to create the most suitable arsenal for each specific case.
For poorly trained warriors, a spear was best suited. You could learn how to use it in a matter of days - here the most important thing was simple physical strength. And yesterday's peasants and workers were not deprived of it. However, the knights also actively used spears. And not only at spectacular sports competitions in palaces, but also on the battlefield. It was almost impossible to stop a warrior clad in armor, rushing with a long, thick spear on a well-trained horse.
But the sword remains the most iconic weapon. If initially they were chopping weapons, then they gradually became chopping and stabbing - the tip was well sharpened and, moreover, became narrower with each century. As a result, the sword turned into a light broadsword, which turned into a sword, and that, in turn, into a rapier. The latter was an exclusively piercing weapon - it was problematic to deliver chopping blows with it becausefor low weight. But a narrow blade with a well-honed tip easily pierced leather armor. By this time, metal ones had almost become a thing of the past due to the appearance of firearms.
Not forgotten to this day
Actively use stabbing weapons today. First of all, it is a bayonet-knife. Yes, in real battles it is not used as actively as a hundred years ago, when soldiers were specially trained in the art of swordsmanship on them.
But still, during urban battles, when the battle is fought in corridors, rooms and just narrow streets, it is he who often remains the last hope of a fighter - if he runs out of ammunition or the main small arms fail.
Conclusion
Now you know more about piercing weapons. And also learned about its application in various countries and eras, traced the entire evolution. You may not become a weapon expert after reading one article, but the general idea will certainly appear.
