Spetum
A spetum is a polearm that was used in Europe during the 13th century. Other names include chauve souris, corseca, corsèsque, korseke, runka, and rawcon. It consists of a pole, some 180-240 cm long, on which is mounted a spear head with two projections at its base. • Illustration — Italian folding spetum, c.
Spetum
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- Field
- pole weapon.
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wikidata · Q1433772 · wikipedia · Spetum
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Overview
1550 • Illustration — Detail of folding spetum showing hinge and side blades According to antiquarian John Hewitt, the spetum is a variation of the partisan. Many variations of this design were devised; the ranseur may be one. The spetum is usually distinguished from the ranseur and partisan by its single-edged "prongs" used for slashing. The main blade is 30-35 cm long. The spetum shown in the image is measured at 118 cm (46 in) meaning the blade is marginally shorter than 118 cm, while the side blades are about half that length and are set at acute angles. Spetums are designed for combat. The main blade is long enough to destroy any significant organ in the human body with one thrust. The side blades could bind weapons, similar to a jitte or sai. The blunt backs of the side blades give the spetum uses such as tripping and knocking aside shields, while providing far more strength to the sharpened side and points than is possible with a dual-edged construction. The word spetum comes spedo meaning "spit".
Spetum is a pole weapon.
Pole weapons at the Italian historic war museum of Rovereto. From left: Winged spetum (Veneto, first half XVI century) Guisarme (Germany, half XVI century) Pollaxe (Northern Italy, late XVI century) Corseque (Northern Italy, half XVII century) Partisan (Veneto, late XV century) Guisarme (Veneto, XVI century) Pollaxe (Northern Italy, late XVI century) Kuse (Germany, half XVI century)
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Pole weapons at the Italian historic war museum of Rovereto. From left: Winged spetum (Veneto, first half XVI century) Guisarme (Germany, half XVI century) Pollaxe (Northern Italy, late XVI century) Corseque (Northern Italy, half XVII century) Partisan (Veneto, late XV century) Guisarme (Veneto, XVI century) Pollaxe (Northern Italy, late XVI century) Kuse (Germany, half XVI century)
Syrio
Primary material
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- Wikidata, structured authority record Q1433772: Spetum
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- “Spetum”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
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Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Spetum, revision 1357041771 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
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- 1.Lo spiedo da guerra è una delle armi più anomale della panoplia tardo-medievale europea e può essere, in buona sostanza, considerato un ibrido tra la spada da stocco vera e propria e la lancia da fanteria.
- 2.Accademia di San Marciano – Associazione di collezionisti e studiosi di armi antiche, militaria e fortificazioniONI.
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