Roman Iron Plumbata Mamillata
4th-5th century A.D. The barbed head with tapering cylindrical stem and biconical lead weight. Cf. Southern, P. & Dixon, K.R., The Late Roman Army, London, 1996, fig.46, pp.113-115.85 grams, 15 cm (6 in.). Ex J. Layne collection, 1990s. The lead-weighted darts known as plumbatae mamillatae, (or breasted javelin) were short darts mounted upon a shaft, of the same shape, and thrown from a short distance. A Roman soldier would typically carry around 5-6 of these darts at any one time, fastened to the back of his shield. They could be thrown overhand or underhand, with an effective throwing range of up to 60 meters by trained soldiers.