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Post by perszeusz on Aug 29, 2007 9:03:08 GMT 3
I've read in a book recently stating that the Romans saw the Hephthalites using cudgels during a siege. I've been thinking that the primary weapons on steppe dwellers in general (discarding the bow) were the sword, spear sometimes lasso. Is there any account of the primary usage of maces of any of the Steppe peoples? maybe other blunt weapons for close combat?
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Post by Temüjin on Aug 29, 2007 20:19:58 GMT 3
maces were used as a sign of command, this practise was copied especially by early modern east european armies. i will post some examples in the steppe warriors who adopted steppe warfare thread.
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Post by Bor Chono on Aug 30, 2007 4:42:43 GMT 3
8 edged mace is symbolic weapon of Halha Mongols. Every home(head of family) had one.  |
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Post by perszeusz on Aug 30, 2007 7:07:17 GMT 3
Yes, the sceptre is essentially a overdecorated mace, didn't knew it came of the steppe... But there's any clue about the mace being used as an actual weapon? they had to give a more "traditional" use to it if later transformed into a symbol of command...
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Post by tengrikut on Aug 30, 2007 22:06:38 GMT 3
i herat that maces are the sign of the might of the commander
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Post by Bor Chono on Sept 1, 2007 19:40:35 GMT 3
I know that mace was used before bow! ;D Mace can be used during battle but it not good as sword. Maybe a mace with iron handle can be useful.  |
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Post by perszeusz on Sept 3, 2007 23:31:02 GMT 3
Well, clubs were one of the first weapons used by the mankind, about the same time as stone-throwing I think. Maces aren't less efective than swords, it depends on the use. For light units like the typical horse archers of the steppe, that should be a cumbersome weapon, and the swords is way better for quick hand-to-hand combat. But the mace is able to penetrate armor easily, and a good smash with it should be fatal. Knights used swords when they wanted to kill "worthless peasants" instead of other nobles, and this could be the case with earlier heavy cavalry as well. I'm starting to think that the tradition of light cavalry and quick attacks transformed the mace into a ceremonial thing.
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Post by Bor Chono on Sept 4, 2007 6:19:45 GMT 3
 Hey did U noticed it? look at upper right corner! |
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Post by perszeusz on Sept 4, 2007 9:29:18 GMT 3
Wow! good pic! So these are the Mongol shock troops I guess.
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Post by H. İhsan Erkoç on Sept 4, 2007 12:25:07 GMT 3
That must be a commander.
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Post by duncan on Apr 29, 2012 18:57:32 GMT 3
Here in the states the Native American plains warriors used their war clubs much like a mace and it was a very effective weapon. There were several types used from a rock secured to a stick to a pair of horn tips that could bludgeon through a hide shield as well as the “flop“ head war club used by the Apache and Blackfoot tribes that was IMO an engineering master piece that while doing devastating damage to the enemies did not transfer any of the shock to the users hand or arm, much as the flail of the old world. As far as steppe warriors of the old world go the mace would be a wonderful weapon that can break arms, legs, skulls, ribs, and do more blunt force trauma than you can imagine.
In short the mace would have been used on the Steppe simply because it was a useful weapon that coulld and would do damage.
Bill Duncan
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