Dory (spear)
Encyclopedia
The dory or doru - ie not pronounced like the fish - is a spear
that was the chief armament of hoplite
s (heavy infantry) in Ancient Greece
. The word "dory" is first attested in Homer with the meanings of "wood" and "spear". Homeric heroes hold two dorys (Il. 11,43, Od. 1, 256). In Homer and in classical period the dory was a symbol of military power, possibly more important than the sword, as can be deducted from expressions like "Troy conquered by dory" (Il. 16,708) and words like "doryktetos" (spear-won) and "doryalotos" (spear-taken slave).
The dory was about two to three metres in length (six to ten feet) and had a handle with a diameter of two inches made of wood, either cornel
or ash
weighing 2 to 4 pounds (1–2 kg). The flat leaf-shaped spearhead was composed of iron and its weight was counterbalanced by a bronze butt-spike.
While the butt-spike could have been useful in finishing wounded enemy soldiers lying on the ground as the formation advanced over them, it would have had great utility during an active confrontation as well. When the leaf point was being used underhand (i.e., spear wielded like a sword), a forward spear thrust at the opponents spear arm will most likely be blocked upward by the opponents shield. Continuing the attack, if this blocked thrust is followed by a forward step using the left foot and a shield edge thrust into the face of the enemy's shield, the opponent would be knocked back one half step to a full step. This would leave the opponent's foot exposed from below the edge of the shield so that it would be perfectly positioned for a butt-spike downward thrust. The exposed toes and/or foot of the enemy under the edge of his shield would be similar to a "lizard peeking from under a rock," and may have prompted the Hoplite's nickname for the butt-spike as "lizard-killer." The blunt, square shape would prevent the spike from penetrating deeply enough into the foot or ankle to entangle it and would have maximized damage to the bones, ligaments, and tendons of the foot with a minimum of force. Also, using the butt-spike to make any thrust likely to end up in the ground is more desirable than possibly damaging the leaf-blade which has more utility for sweeping cuts as well as thrusting in combat. Another use of the feature might have been that by lodging the butt-spike into the ground a hoplite may have been able to stand the Dory upright when he was not holding it making it more readily at hand should it be needed quickly.
.
The spear used by the Persian army under Darius I
and Xerxes
in their respective campaigns during the Greco-Persian Wars
was shorter than that of their Greek opponents. The Dory's length enabled multiple ranks of a formation to engage simultaneously during combat.
The Dory was not a javelin
. Despite its aerodynamic shape, its weight and length would have made it cumbersome and impractical to throw. Because it had evolved for combat between Phalanxes, it was constructed so as to be adequate against the defences of Greek infantry
, which incorporated bronze
in hoplon and helmet construction. Hoplites were generally more heavily armored than infantry of their non-Greek contemporaries.
Spear
A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head.The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with bamboo spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft, such as flint, obsidian, iron, steel or...
that was the chief armament of hoplite
Hoplite
A hoplite was a citizen-soldier of the Ancient Greek city-states. Hoplites were primarily armed as spearmen and fought in a phalanx formation. The word "hoplite" derives from "hoplon" , the type of the shield used by the soldiers, although, as a word, "hopla" could also denote weapons held or even...
s (heavy infantry) in Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
. The word "dory" is first attested in Homer with the meanings of "wood" and "spear". Homeric heroes hold two dorys (Il. 11,43, Od. 1, 256). In Homer and in classical period the dory was a symbol of military power, possibly more important than the sword, as can be deducted from expressions like "Troy conquered by dory" (Il. 16,708) and words like "doryktetos" (spear-won) and "doryalotos" (spear-taken slave).
The dory was about two to three metres in length (six to ten feet) and had a handle with a diameter of two inches made of wood, either cornel
European Cornel
The European Cornel is a species of dogwood native to southern Europe and southwest Asia. In North America, the plant is known by the common name of Cornelian Cherry....
or ash
Dogwood
The genus Cornus is a group of about 30-60 species of woody plants in the family Cornaceae, commonly known as dogwoods. Most dogwoods are deciduous trees or shrubs, but a few species are nearly herbaceous perennial subshrubs, and a few of the woody species are evergreen...
weighing 2 to 4 pounds (1–2 kg). The flat leaf-shaped spearhead was composed of iron and its weight was counterbalanced by a bronze butt-spike.
Butt-spike
There is speculation as to the purpose of this feature. In addition to its role as a stabilizer, the butt-spike could serve as a secondary weapon. If the shaft of the dory was broken or if the iron point was lost, the remaining portion could still function. Though its combat range would be reduced, the dory's complete length would have lessened the chance of a single break rendering it ineffective. If the shaft sustained a break in which a large portion of the shaft was lost, the weapon would be lighter making the hoplite using it more agile and allowing him to thrust and parry more dextrously.While the butt-spike could have been useful in finishing wounded enemy soldiers lying on the ground as the formation advanced over them, it would have had great utility during an active confrontation as well. When the leaf point was being used underhand (i.e., spear wielded like a sword), a forward spear thrust at the opponents spear arm will most likely be blocked upward by the opponents shield. Continuing the attack, if this blocked thrust is followed by a forward step using the left foot and a shield edge thrust into the face of the enemy's shield, the opponent would be knocked back one half step to a full step. This would leave the opponent's foot exposed from below the edge of the shield so that it would be perfectly positioned for a butt-spike downward thrust. The exposed toes and/or foot of the enemy under the edge of his shield would be similar to a "lizard peeking from under a rock," and may have prompted the Hoplite's nickname for the butt-spike as "lizard-killer." The blunt, square shape would prevent the spike from penetrating deeply enough into the foot or ankle to entangle it and would have maximized damage to the bones, ligaments, and tendons of the foot with a minimum of force. Also, using the butt-spike to make any thrust likely to end up in the ground is more desirable than possibly damaging the leaf-blade which has more utility for sweeping cuts as well as thrusting in combat. Another use of the feature might have been that by lodging the butt-spike into the ground a hoplite may have been able to stand the Dory upright when he was not holding it making it more readily at hand should it be needed quickly.
Use in the Phalanx
The principal advantage of the Dory was that it enabled a soldier to keep an enemy at a distance in a pitched battle. Like the xiphos, it was a single-handed weapon, held in the right hand leaving the left free to support the hoplite's shieldAspis
"Aspis" is the generic term for the word shield. The aspis, which is carried by Greek infantry of various periods, is often referred to as a hoplon .According to Diodorus Siculus:-Construction:...
.
The spear used by the Persian army under Darius I
Darius I of Persia
Darius I , also known as Darius the Great, was the third king of kings of the Achaemenid Empire...
and Xerxes
Xerxes I of Persia
Xerxes I of Persia , Ḫšayāršā, ), also known as Xerxes the Great, was the fifth king of kings of the Achaemenid Empire.-Youth and rise to power:...
in their respective campaigns during the Greco-Persian Wars
Greco-Persian Wars
The Greco-Persian Wars were a series of conflicts between the Achaemenid Empire of Persia and city-states of the Hellenic world that started in 499 BC and lasted until 449 BC. The collision between the fractious political world of the Greeks and the enormous empire of the Persians began when Cyrus...
was shorter than that of their Greek opponents. The Dory's length enabled multiple ranks of a formation to engage simultaneously during combat.
The Dory was not a javelin
Javelin
A Javelin is a light spear intended for throwing. It is commonly known from the modern athletic discipline, the Javelin throw.Javelin may also refer to:-Aviation:* ATG Javelin, an American-Israeli civil jet aircraft, under development...
. Despite its aerodynamic shape, its weight and length would have made it cumbersome and impractical to throw. Because it had evolved for combat between Phalanxes, it was constructed so as to be adequate against the defences of Greek infantry
Hoplite
A hoplite was a citizen-soldier of the Ancient Greek city-states. Hoplites were primarily armed as spearmen and fought in a phalanx formation. The word "hoplite" derives from "hoplon" , the type of the shield used by the soldiers, although, as a word, "hopla" could also denote weapons held or even...
, which incorporated bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
in hoplon and helmet construction. Hoplites were generally more heavily armored than infantry of their non-Greek contemporaries.