Single-handed weapons not resembling a straight dagger blade, usually wielded without wrist action; often protects the forearm.
Main article: Edged and bladed weapons
Thrusting and cutting weapons for melee combat. Col. D.H. Gordon's classification has been used where applicable.56
For broader coverage of this topic, see Lists of swords.
See also: Types of swords and Classification of swords
Delineated as 20-28 inches/51–71 cm total length.15
Curved shortswords include the following:
Straight shortswords include the following:
Generally, convex blades used for heavy chopping or slashing.
Main articles: Fighting knife and Knife
Further information: List of daggers
Generally short, concave blades used for heavy cutting.
Main article: Axe
Usually wielded with one or two hands at close quarters with striking motions, although some sharp-pointed truncheons like the sai were more often used for stabbing.
Main articles: Polearm and Spear
Wielded mainly with two hands. Primarily for hand-to-hand combat with sweeping, thrusting, and or hooking motions.
See also: Stick-fighting
Main article: List of types of spears
Main article: Whip § Weapons
Used for whipping.
Having multiple handles or holdable sections.
Main article: Chain weapon
Having a heavy object attached to a flexible chain or rope. Wielded by swinging, throwing, or projecting the end, as well as wrapping, striking, and blocking with the chain or rope, sometimes attached to another type of weapon.
Main article: Shield
Used not only to block strikes and missiles but also swung outwardly (or in quick upward motions) to strike an opponent. Also used to rush an opponent (known as shield bashing). Some shields had spikes, sharp edges, or other offensive designs.
Further information: List of types of spears § Normally thrown
All could be used as spears, but were designed and primarily used for throwing.
Main article: Throwing axe
Could also be used as axe weapons, but were specifically designed for throwing.
Main article: Throwing stick
See also: History of the firearm and Gunpowder § History
Main article: Bow and arrow
Main article: Longbows
Main article: Recurve bow
Main articles: Short bow and Reflex bow
Main article: Crossbow
Further information: List of siege engines
This section includes ballistic (missile-launching) siege engines and similar larger ballistic devices which were either stationary, mounted on moving objects such as carts or elephants, or wheeled.
Main articles: Flamethrower § History, and Early thermal weapons
Swords
Regan, Paula, ed. (2006). Weapon: A Visual History of Arms and Armor. New York: DK Publishing. ISBN 0-7566-2210-7. 0-7566-2210-7 ↩
Cope, Anne, ed. (1989). Swords and Hilt Weapons. New York: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. p. 8. ISBN 1-55584-290-9. 1-55584-290-9 ↩
Gordon, Col. D.H. (1953). "Swords, Rapiers and Horse riders". Antiquity. 27 (106). Antiquity Publications Ltd: 67–76. doi:10.1017/S0003598X00024595. S2CID 163326613.[permanent dead link] http://antiquity.ac.uk/ant/027/Ant0270067.htm ↩
Levine, Bernard; Weland, Gerald. Knives, swords, & daggers. New York: Barnes & Noble. p. 200. ↩
Wilbraham Egerton, 1st Earl Egerton (2002) [reporoduced in facsimile from A Description of Indian and Oriental Armour, published in 1896, which was the second and expanded edition of An Illustrated Handbook of Indian Arms published in 1880]. Indian and Oriental armour. Dover Publications. p. 100. ISBN 978-0486422299. 978-0486422299 ↩
"Igorot Head Hunting Axe #2". Traditional Filipino Weapons. http://traditionalfilipinoweapons.com/IrogotAxe2.html ↩
"Spear (Sang) Indian". The Met. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/30762 ↩
"Northern spear". http://traditionalfilipinoweapons.com/Spear.html ↩
Γεώργιος Ηλιόπουλος (Georgios Iliopoulos), "Η χαμένη πυραυλική τεχνολογία των αρχαίων Ελλήνων" (The lost missile technology of the ancient Greeks), Ιχώρ (Ihor), 27, page 12-13, Greece, 2002. ↩
Γεώργιος Ηλιόπουλος (Georgios Iliopoulos), "Η χαμένη πυραυλική τεχνολογία των αρχαίων Ελλήνων" (The lost missile technology of the ancient Greeks), Ιχώρ (Ihor), 27, page 13, Greece, 2002. ↩