Ask: Any references about relative price of Weapons During Ancient to Renaissance Times?

Dolan

Banned
Well, let's say that after one too many discussion about how spears being cheaper than swords, axes being cheaper than spears, etc etc... I decided to ask is there any some sort of references to their historical cost?

Let's say that this assume similar quality... and in three broad categories...

A) Ancient-era Arms: Bronze-tipped Spear, Iron-tipped Spear, Single-edged Shotel, Short Bronze Sword, Short Iron Sword, Long Iron Sword, Single-handed Battle Axe, Two-handed Battle Axe, Copper Mace, and Common Bow.

B) Hellenistic-era Arms: Spear (Hasta/Doru/Gaesum), Pike (Sarissa), Single-edge Sword (Kopis), Short Sword (Gladius/Xiphos), Long Sword (Celtic Longsword), Battle Axe (Pelekephoros), Mace, standard Greco-Roman self-bow, and Nomad Composite Bow.

C) Medieval-era Arms: Infantry Spear, Knightly Lance, Pike, Single-edged Falchion/Scimitar, Short Sword (Arming Sword), Long Sword, Battle Axe, Dane Axe, Halberd, War Hammer, Mace, Short Bow, Yew Longbow, Standard Crossbow, and early Arquebus.

Thanks.
 
You might also consider how long various weapons last. I saw an article recently that claimed that swords were pretty much disposable weapons that wouldn't be useable after a couple of battles.
 

Dolan

Banned
You might also consider how long various weapons last. I saw an article recently that claimed that swords were pretty much disposable weapons that wouldn't be useable after a couple of battles.
Are you sure it wasn't spear?

Swords often made into what is basically heirloom weapon because all the expense of metals involved, forging, and the very fact that bent or blunted swords could be pretty much straightened and resharpened at the blacksmith, if needed. Yes, the metals involved will eventually getting abrasion damage and becoming thin and brittle, but it will took generations of fighters for it to happen and old enough sword of good quality often being enshrined instead of being used into destruction.

All while you can't really fix broken wood handles in polearms. Cavalry Lances are essentially expected to broke under impact, while medium to short Spears often used to be thrown at targets of opportunity... I will actually expect spears to be much more disposable compared to swords (or axes for that matter). Yes, the metal spearheads could be essentially recycled, but if it was tossed to kill an enemy during the heat of battle.
 
An VLFBERHT sword in karolingian times had the value of an entire hamlet or a big farm. It's therefore no surprise that only a low 3 digit number of them has ever been found. If it was bended or dented it could be repaired by a smith, if it broke the blade would be reworked into into either a shorter sword and a short dagger or 2 daggers.
 
Are you sure it wasn't spear?

Swords often made into what is basically heirloom weapon because all the expense of metals involved, forging, and the very fact that bent or blunted swords could be pretty much straightened and resharpened at the blacksmith, if needed. Yes, the metals involved will eventually getting abrasion damage and becoming thin and brittle, but it will took generations of fighters for it to happen and old enough sword of good quality often being enshrined instead of being used into destruction.

All while you can't really fix broken wood handles in polearms. Cavalry Lances are essentially expected to broke under impact, while medium to short Spears often used to be thrown at targets of opportunity... I will actually expect spears to be much more disposable compared to swords (or axes for that matter). Yes, the metal spearheads could be essentially recycled, but if it was tossed to kill an enemy during the heat of battle.

Spears are much easier to fix. All that needs to be done is to take the head off the broken stick and affix it to a new stick. Even if you can't manually pull the wood out you can simply place it in a fire and allow the wood to burn away because wood has a lower burning temperature than metal melting temperature.
 
An VLFBERHT sword in karolingian times had the value of an entire hamlet or a big farm. It's therefore no surprise that only a low 3 digit number of them has ever been found. If it was bended or dented it could be repaired by a smith, if it broke the blade would be reworked into into either a shorter sword and a short dagger or 2 daggers.

Really? I know there have been 126 found according to the vetting by Stralsberg but the process and regulation for classification as an Ufbhert has been loosened, increasing the number to atleast 640 or more.

Still not an immense number but bigger than the previous one.
 
Top