Q: Is a spear a pole weapon consisting of a shaft? ¶
A: Yes, and usually of wood, with a pointed head.
Q: Were spears used after the Meso-American period in various conflicts including the Latin American wars of independence and the Spanish American wars of independence? ¶
A: Yes.
Q: Was a spear used in ancient Japan sometime between the Yayoi period and the Heian period? ¶
A: Yes, but it became unpopular as early samurai often acted as horseback archers.
Q: Was a spear developed? ¶
A: Yes, but the later Middle Ages saw the development of specialised types, such as the boar-spear and the bear-spear.
Q: Were spears a preferred weapon by many since it was inexpensive to create? ¶
A: Yes, and could more easily be taught to others, and could be made quickly and in large quantities.
Q: Are spears known from the Bronze Age? ¶
A: Yes, but the first historical record of their use in Europe is found in the writings of Xenophon in the 5th century BC.
Q: Is a spear the main weapon of the warriors of Homer's Iliad? ¶
A: Yes.
Q: Was a spear the most common ancient weapon found in Vietnam? ¶
A: Yes.
Q: Were spears either designed to be used in melee? ¶
A: Yes, or to be thrown.
Q: Is a spear still used for hunting and fishing? ¶
A: Yes, and its influences still may be seen in current military gear such as the rifle-mounted bayonet.
Q: Were spears constructed from a variety of materials such as the sang made completely of steel? ¶
A: Yes, and the ballam which had a bamboo shaft.
Q: Were spears also common weaponry for Warring States? ¶
A: Yes, and Qin, and Han era cavalry units.
Q: Was a spear also used by cavalry? ¶
A: Yes.
Q: Were spears used both in missile and non-missile form? ¶
A: Yes, and both by cavalry and foot-soldiers.
Q: Were spears designed for close combat and often were wielded in conjunction with a large oval shield? ¶
A: Yes.
Q: Were spears made with a wooden stick while the head of the spear was fashioned from arrowheads? ¶
A: Yes, and pieces of metal such as copper, or a bone that had been sharpened.
Q: Is a spear also used to describe the male line of a family? ¶
A: Yes, as opposed to the distaff or female line.
Q: Were spears typically shorter and more stream-lined than the tepoztopilli? ¶
A: Yes, and some had obsidian edges for greater penetration.
Q: Was a spear used as the primary weapon in expeditions and battles against neighbouring island kingdoms and it become famous during the 1521 Battle of Mactan? ¶
A: Yes, where the chieftain Lapu Lapu of Cebu fought against Spanish forces led by Ferdinand Magellan who was subsequently killed.
Q: Were spears made with fire-hardened points? ¶
A: Yes.
Q: Were spears originally the same as infantry spears and were often used with two hands or held with one hand overhead? ¶
A: Yes.
Q: Are spears mentioned? ¶
A: Yes.
Q: Were spears retained they grew in length? ¶
A: Yes, and eventually evolving into pikes, which would be a dominant infantry weapon in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Q: Were spears one of the most common personal weapons used in the Stone Age? ¶
A: Yes, and they remained in use as important military and hunting implements until the advent of firearms.
Q: Were spears often lengthy and sturdy and were armed by heavily armored shock infantrymen? ¶
A: Yes, and reflecting the prevalence of cavalry engagements and open combat.