The combat spear…
January 16th, 2008 | 
Author: Today we have yet another treat from the infamous movie “300″. I present to you the signature polearm of the Spartan army, the long spear:
Now some people underestimate the power of the spear. People look at it and say, “Well yes, it’s cool for throwing, and for distance attacks, but beyond that it’s useless. Not so. It has it’s drawbacks, yes, but in the hands of a skilled warrior, a spear can be just as deadly as a sword. People don’t realize how functionally flexible a spear can really be.
Besides the obvious advantage of being a good projectile weapon, a spear at full length is a great distance thrusting tool. the fact that a spear was usually used with both hands meant a skilled warrior could be both fast and accurate with their strikes. And while a spear was more or less it useless for slashing, depending on it’s design it could also be used much like a staff weapon. Once you got it spinning, it could be used to deliver some serious blunt trauma. And if grasped at half length it could be used like a short thrusting spear/sword.
Interestingly, in the Movie “300″ we are treated to numerous sequences where the long spear is shown used to it’s maximum advantage. In large numbers, an army armed with spears could keep even mounted, well armored attackers at bay quite efficiently. And even in one on one combat, a spear can be quite the effective stand off tool, keeping an opponent at “spears length”, as it were, and making their supposedly “faster” close in weapon, like an axe or a sword, useless.
And lets not forget also, that unlike a sword, a spear is much easier to throw, and the ability to engage the enemy at long distances was a big advantage to a spear wielding combatant. Given also that the amount of steel that was needed for a spear was usually only a small fraction of that used for a sword, you could make many more spears with the same amount of steel.
All of these factors combined are what made the spear such a flexible, formidable battlefield weapon. But besides all of that, I just happen to like this spear because its got that really mean looking, sharp point, it actually comes apart, and as we all know, flexibility is golden when it comes to weapons like these. And of course, being spartan, this one has that “Don’t mess with me, I’m Spartan…” look…
But ultimately, and most importantly, while most other spears are of light colored woods and chrome, this one is all black… You can’t beat that with… anything. No wonder the Spartans were so full of WIN! 
“300″ Spartan Warrior Spear – [True Swords]
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Category: Polearms | 
Tags: 300, Battle, Combat, Dark, Fighting, Greek, Polearms, Spear, Spears, Throwing, War | 
16 Comments »
i have one of these along with the sword of sparta i havent got the cape and helm and speedos lol
I was with you until you mentioned the word “speedos”… LOL
^^ That’s a pretty sweet spear. I always do love a good staff, and a staff capped with pointy bits is even better.
Indeed. Though i was thinking about this, and I’d have to say that the only possibly negative aspect of this weapon would be it’s excessive length. I can see it being great for shoulder to shoulder defense of calvary and infantry rushes, but as a melee weapon… with that kind of length? I dunno… I just don’t know…
i love spears
They are cool aren’t they?
Even though i love the spear and how it looks there are things i dont like:
> Inflexible (by the time youv’e stabbed someone, someone else could have slashed you twice)
> Breakable ( the spear head could easily be detached, and being made of wood can snap which is what happen with the actual spartans)
PS: in the movie, the persians could have easily stabbed the spartans over their shields, and why did they break formation when versing the immortals?)
I also don’t agree.
Some spears and other polearms were made with an iron or steel core running up the length of the staff, similar to the glaive. this increased its weight but it made the spear very difficult to break. it also gave the weilder the option to, if necessary, change their grip and use the spear as a quarterstaff, a great offensive and defensive weapon especially with a razor sharp broadhead at one end.
Of course if your spear didn’t have an iron or steel core and you tried to do this you would be dead in seconds.
also a spear can be just as fast as a sword if not faster in the hands of a professional, the extra length of the weapon means the point of the spear moves faster than the point of a sword with less effort. Besides the point of a spear is to stab them as they enter your range, while you are still a meter or so outside of theirs.
P.S. Firstly, the persian army in the movie was an army of slaves, who had probably been given minimal training.
Secondly, not only where the front lines being crushed between the spartans and their own army, but if you tried to raise your weapon and stab over their sheilds not only would you have almost no angle of attack (the only target being the arm) and no real strength behind the blow, but you would leave yourself completely open to any attack from any direction.
Thirdly, the director said so.
@Spartan
I don’t entirely agree with the statement that spears are inflexible. As I mentioned earlier, a spear can be choked up on. And if used in a lively fashion, by someone who knows what they are doing, a spear can be very, very quick, because you can use both hands.
Also there are many different spear designs, and each has a different purpose, and a corresponding fighting form. 300, has some nice spear battles, but it is not entirely realistic in many cases, in portraying how a spear should ideally be used in melee combat, so I would just chalk up the questionable bits to movie folly.
Thing is, you really don’t want to take a 7 foot spear into a melee battle. That would embody your definition of an “inflexible” spear. However a shorter spear, around 5ft, can be a deadly fast melee weapon in the right hands. Even against swords.
On being breakable, yes, because a spear has a wooden shaft, it has a large weak point in comparison to a sword. However an intelligent spear wielder would know this, and would actively avoid trying to directly block a cutting strike from a sword with direct force. They would rely on deflection instead. The right kinds of wood can withstand some serious punishment from the edge of a sword if strikes are handled in this fashion.
WHERE CAN I BUY THAT OR SOMETHING LIKE IT
Did you try the link at the end of the post above?
what link?
This one: “300″ Spartan Warrior Spear – [True Swords]
P.S. In case it isn’t showing up as an html link on your browser, just click on the text… Trust me, its a link…
thanks
Mah Pleasure!