Spartan Spear - Dory - King Leonidas and 300 - Battle of Thermopylae - 480 BC - Reconstruction - Wood and bronze Item

Item Specifics

Condition: New, Made in Greece.
Material: Pure Bronze and Wood
Total Height: 210 cm - 82,6 inches
Weight: 2300 g

Battle of Thermopylae, (480 bce), battle in central Greece at the mountain pass of Thermopylae during the Persian Wars. The Greek forces, mostly Spartan, were led by Leonidas. After three days of holding their own against the Persian king Xerxes I and his vast southward-advancing army, the Greeks were betrayed, and the Persians were able to outflank them. Sending the main army in retreat, Leonidas and a small contingent remained behind to resist the advance and were defeated.
The dory is a spear that was the chief spear of hoplites (heavy infantry) in Ancient Greece. The word "dory" was first attested by Homer with the meanings of "wood" and "spear. In the Homeric epics and in the classical period the dory was a symbol of military power, possibly more important than the sword.
The dory was about 2 to 3 m (6 ft 7 in to 9 ft 10 in) in length and had a handle with a diameter of 5 cm (two inches) made of wood, either cornel or ash weighing 2 to 4 lb (0.91 to 1.81 kg). The flat leaf-shaped spearhead was composed of iron and its weight was counterbalanced by an iron butt-spike.
The rear of the spear was capped with a spike called a sauroter, Greek for "lizard killer". It functionally served as a counter-weight to give balance. This spike had several uses. It could be used to stand the spear up or used as a secondary weapon if the spearhead was broken off. 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. Additionally, any enemies that had fallen could be dispatched by the warriors marching over them in the back ranks of the phalanx who were holding their spears in a vertical position.