Description
An early form of lance-like spear, most commonly associated with Hellenic cavalry, the xyston measured three and a half to four and a half metres in length. Consisting of an iron spear tip on a wooden shaft, the weight of the head was offset, like many Greek spears, by a bronze butt-spike. This may have helped with balance and in the hands of a skilled rider may have meant only one hand was required, as seen in the famous Alexander Mosaic from Pompeii. As most bronze alloys are heavier than iron this may have been possible, as the xyston’s balance point was towards the butt-spike. However, whether such lances were as effective when used one-handed, both in terms of force and accuracy, is debatable.
