Two iron pilum heads
Roman Britain, 1st century AD
From the Roman fort site at Hod Hill, Dorset
The pilum, or javelin was carried by legionary
soldiers. It had a wooden shaft and an iron head giving a total
length of about two metres. The small bolt-like tip was highly
penetrating and the long slender iron shank, which was designed to
buckle on impact, prevented it being re-used by the enemy.