Illyrian weaponry

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Illyrian chariots from Vace - 6th century BC

Illyrian weaponry played an important role in the makeup of Illyrian armies and in conflicts involving
theIllyrians. Of all the ancients sources the most important and abundant writings are those
of Ennius (239 -169 BC), a Roman poet of Messapian origin. Weapons of all sorts were also placed
intact in the graves of Illyrian warriors and provide a detailed picture for archaeologists on the
distribution and development of Illyrian weaponry.

Contents
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 1 Shields
 2 Breast armor
 3 Greaves
 4 Helmets
 5 Swords
 6 Spears
 7 Other weaponry
 8 See also
 9 References

Shields[edit]
Shields were used among the Illyrians from the end of the Bronze Age, but very little is known about
the early shields until the Iron Age. In this period, Illyrian shields were made of wood and leather and
as a result no such example has survived.During the Iron Age a metal plate-cover was attached to
the shields. The most common Illyrian shield was the circular shield, although northern Illyrians and
the Japodes also used an oval or rectangular type. The circular shield was small, and was decorated
with embedded circles and semicircles on the sides. It resembled the Macedonian shield of the time,
but differed in the number of circles, which were a symbolic decoration. One of the best examples of
the Illyrian circular shield, coated in bronze, was found in a Liburnian necropolis in Nin and dates
from the 4th century BC. The circular shield was widely used from Glasinac in Bosnia to Albania.
They are depicted on Illyrian city coins of Lezhë and Shkodër. Similar to the Illyrian oval shield in
northern Illyria was the shield that the Celts brought with them during the Gallic invasion of the
Balkans in the 4th-3rd centuries BC. The Celtic shield was wooden and oblong, with an iron boss. [1][2]

Breast armor[edit]
Breast armour was a rare and very interesting part of Illyrian armor. A type of breast-armor made of
bronze plate was only used by northern Illyrians. Up to now only three of these have been
discovered in Novo Mesto, Sticna-Verpole and St. Vid. All date before 500 BC. Other Illyrian did not
use breast armor. Only the Glasinac Illyrians used a type of breast armor if breast armor can be
considered a jacket made of cloth or leather with parts of bronze. Another form of body armor was a
bronze pectoral that may have protected part of the back as well. It was more like a disc
"breastplate" of 10 cm in diameter.[3]

Greaves[edit]
In the 7th century BC, bronze greaves were used by Illyrian warriors. It is possible that Illyrians used
leather greaves in an earlier time, the same as those used by the Mycenaeans, but nothing is known
about them. Bronze greaves first appear among the Illyrians in southern Illyria where examples have
been found dating to the 7th century BC, and also from Glasinac from the same period. The bronze
greaves discovered in a prince's grave in Gllasinac are interesting especially for the decorations
depicted on them. Warships, circles and triangular motives are carved on the outer surfaces. The
two last-mentioned decorations were believed to protect the warrior while in combat. Up to
the Roman era bronze greaves were rarely used and only by wealthy warriors. [3]

Helmets[edit]
Helmets are found more abundantly in Illyrian graves because of their higher status. Bronze helmets
were made by the northern Illyrian from the 7th century BC. At that time and probably earlier
the conical helmet was used. Later in these areas the Shmarjet helmet, named after Shmarjet
of Novo Mesto, was used by theJapodes.[4]

Illyrian helmet
This very interesting type of helmet was similar to the Japodian round caps. They were made from
the skeletons of bushes and painted with clay. Round bronze discs and studs were often embedded
around the helmet. There were two varieties, one with awicker base and one sewn together with
chain mail. Up to now thirty Shmarjet helmets have been found. Among the northern Illyrians the
bronze helmet developed into the conical or pot helmet.[5] The conical helmet was used in the 6th
century BC and sometimes had a plume. From the 5th-4th century BC under the influence of
the Etruscans and other Italik peoples, the Negau helmet was used also by the northern Illyrians.
The Agrianes who were in close contact with the Macedons and Thracians used the Phrygian type
helmet.
The most important and widespread helmet was the Illyrian helmet. Helmets of this type have been
discovered in many sites inAlbania, Bosnia, Croatia (near the
coast), Macedonia, Kosovo and Serbia. The source of most of these helmets is Greece. Many
scientists date the oldest Illyrian helmets from the 7th century BC Greece and according to them
later helmets found in southern Illyria also from the 7th century BC are imports from Greece.
However, other experts, especially the Albanian archaeologist Hasan Ceka, present arguments in
favor of the indigenous Illyrian helmet. According to Ceka the Illyrian helmet is an original Illyrian
type of helmet dating from the 7th century BC and used up to the 2nd century BC, and not only up to
the 4th century BC, as thought earlier. Proof of such late use is offered by depictions of the helmet
on Illyrian coins, especially those of king Gentius. Helmets were a privilege limited to the minority of
warriors who could afford or obtain them.

Swords[edit]

Sica, ancient weapon of the Illyrians

The main Illyrian fighting sword was the sica, a short single-edged curved sword used by
the Thraex gladiators in roman world. The sica was developed during the Bronze Age and was
similar to the Greek machaira. It was originally depicted as a curved sword with a blade about 16-
18 inches long (40 – 45 cm).The distinctive shape was designed to get around the sides of an
opponent's shield in order to stab or slash him in the back. Although the sica was used by many
peoples around the Balkans, the Romans regarded the sica as a distinctive Thracian/Dacian
weapon, used as well by inhabitants of Dalmatia and present day Croatia, parts of Bosnia,
Herzegovina and Albania. Another Illyrian sword type was the fighting-sword, which was 20–30 cm
long. Short curved swords and long swords were also used. In addition, Illyrians used various
knives.

Spears[edit]
The Illyrians used the thrusting spears and the sibyna, which resembled a boar spear. The sibyna
was a long, metallic spear and is commonly found all over Illyria, but especially in the necropolis
of Bosnia.

Other weaponry[edit]
The bow and arrow, used by Illyrians from the 2nd millennium BC, became an important weapon for
the Illyrian infantry. Among the axes used were battle axes and single handed axes. Chariots were
only known to be used by the Daunians and northern Illyrians in Slovenia from depictions
on Daunian stele and Illyrian situla. They may have been widespread all over Illyria, but not a single
one has been discovered.

See also[edit]
 Illyrians
 Illyrian warfare
 Ancient warfare

References[edit]

Jo si bumerang por thika ilire ishte nje arm e preferuar te assasineve edhe terroristeve ne
kohen e romes antike sepse ishte kompakte edhe mund ta mshifje leht posht rrobave. Ne
fakt keto assasina qe perdornin thiken ilire ne antikitet quheshin Sicari
ORIGEN DE LA PALABRA
SICARIO
Etimológicamente la Palabra está formada a partir del latín sica, que era el nombre de un puñal de
punta muy aguda y filo curvo usado en la antigua Roma. El nombre de esa arma se formó a partir
de secare ‘cortar’.

El origen de la palabra "sicario" se remonta a la ocupación romana en Palestina. La secta judía de

los “sicarios” también conocidos como “Celotas” fueron los primeros en utilizarlo durante la
ocupación romana a Palestina, el sicarii era la persona que escondía un puñal llamado “sica” entre
sus ropas y apuñalaba a romanos o simpatizantes de los mismos durante las asambleas públicas.
Aunque, bien es sabido, ese vocablo ha perdurado a lo largo del tiempo y hoy tiene un significado
distinto, que es el de denominar a asesinos a sueldo, simples mercenarios, que pueden actuar en
solitario o en grupo logrando sembrar el miedo entre sus enemigos.

Como curiosidad sobre la palabra sicario, se dice que el segundo nombre de Judas Iscariote  es una
deformación de la palabra sicario. Esta curiosidad es muy discutida,  se cree que Judas tomó su
nombre de Kariot, el pequeño pueblo donde había nacido.
_____________________________________________________________

The Destruction of Herod’s Temple

January 24, 2014
Bruce apologetics, Christianity, History 1st Jewish War, Bar
Kockhba, Jerusalem,Jesus, prophecy, Second Temple, Titus 1 Comment

The picture of the coin is from a historical\archaeological blog I subscribe too. The coin is called a Bar Kockhba
coin.
Bar Kockhba led a Jewish revolt against the Romans (reign of Hadrian) in 132-136 A.D. The Romans won and
the result was many Jews were disbursed throughout the Roman Empire to lessen the chances of another
revolt. The coin is interesting for its messianic and eschatological symbols that include a Star of David and a
rebuilt [third] Temple.

The first Temple was destroyed in 586 B.C. by the Babylonians and he Second Temple also known as Herod’s
temple was destroyed by Titus in 70 A.D. during the first Jewish revolt. Thus, by 132 A.D. the Jews were
hoping for a messiah to rescue them from the Romans and rebuild what would have been the Third Temple.

In Matthew 24 Jesus foretells the destruction of the Second Temple:

Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the
temple. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here
one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” (Matthew 24:1-2 ESV)

Model of the Second Temple from wiki

It seems that the disciples were curious and possibly distressed a bit by Jesus’ comment. They approach him
privately and ask two questions although the second question is of two parts, “what will be the sign of your
coming” and “of the end of the age” suggesting that the disciples were making a connection between all three
events.

As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things
be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3 ESV)
Scholars have argued about those connections ever since. D.A. Carson, noted New Testament scholar said
this in his commentary about Matthew 24:

“Few chapters of the Bible have called forth more disagreement among interpreters than Matthew 24 and its
parallels in Mark 13 and Luke 21. The history of the interpretation of this chapter is immensely complex.” D.A.
Carson (The Expositor’s Bible Commentary,volume 8, page 488).
To render an opinion on all that would require much more space than a blog would allow so I’ll keep my
commentary to Jesus’ remarkable prophecy regarding what most scholars do agree on, the destruction of the
Second Temple by Titus in 70 A.D.
Herod, also known as Herod the Great because of his architectural achievements began work on the Second
Temple in 20 B.C. or so. Work was not totally completed until 64 A.D. Therefore, the temple only stood
completed for 6 years before being destroyed by the Romans.

When the disciples asked Jesus about the temple’s destruction it would be approximately 40 years in the
future although the main buildings would have been finished when they asked the question.
The occasion for the temple’s destruction was the first major or great Jewish revolt against the Romans (66-73
A.D.). The Bar Kockhba revolt or war was the third major confrontation between Jew and Roman (132-135
A.D.). The second war was known as the Kotis War of 115-117 A.D. although this war has received much less
attention than the other two.
Judea was a powder keg prior to the first war. There had always been religious tensions between the occupiers
(Seleucid Greeks and the later Romans) and the occupied. These tensions were often exacerbated by the
occupiers such as when the Romans hung Caesar’s image in the temple as was attempted by the mad
emperor Caligula (37 A.D to 41 A.D.) who really believed he was a god.
Some Romans on the spot knew better than needlessly offend the Jews and the Caligula crisis was averted but
the area still simmered in discontent.

Heavy taxation contributed to the grievances against the Romans.  In fact, the writer of Matthew’s gospel was a
tax-collector. Jesus was thought of as being the friend of sinners meaning prostitutes and tax-collectors.
Matthew would have been one unpopular fellow for collaborating with the Romans!

Attacks on Roman citizens and their Jewish collaborators like tax collectors were made by Jewish zealots
called sicarii because of the knife they used. The zealots took every opportunity to fan the flames of revolt.
Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’ twelve and the one who famously betrayed him was a zealot. His name “Iscariot”
is a corruption of the Latin word “sicarius” meaning assassin or murderer.
By 66 A.D. the Romans were fed up with zealots and assassins and plundered Herod’s Temple in retaliation. In
the process they killed over 6000 Jews in typical Roman fashion. That led to full scale rebellion and the
Romans had to send a full legion plus auxiliaries from Syria to stamp the revolt out. This force was soundly
defeated by an aroused population led by the zealots. The legion’s eagle was lost and thus a major disgrace for
the Romans.
 Sicarii knife. Sicarri means “dagger men,” Jewish zealots or dagger men engaged in the assassination of
Roman citizens and Jewish collaborators.

The Romans of this time period never accepted defeat and they soon brought in more legions. The new force
was  commanded by Roman General Vespasian. Vespasian would become the emperor who would build the
famous coliseum partly financed with the treasures taken from the destruction of the temple.

Vespasian fought a thoughtful, costly and slow campaign to subdue the rebels but by 69 A.D. he had been
called away from the campaign to fight in yet another Roman Civil War in what became known as the year of
four emperors. He would emerge victorious and become emperor. His son Titus was left in command of the
legions and he would begin to besiege the center of resistance in Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

Stone relief celebrating Titus’s Triumph in taking Jerusalem. A Menorah can clearly be seen among the
treasures looted.

The siege took a full seven months. The temple was torn down (the stones being thrown down that Jesus
referred to) as well as Jerusalem’s walls. Most of the survivors were sold into slavery. The war went on until 73
A.D. when the Fortress of Masada fell, it’s defenders choosing suicide over slavery.
Roman denarius with Titus on one side and the commemoration of his triumph over Jerusalem on the other.

As noted above with the Bar Kockhba coin by 132 A.D. the Jews were expecting yet another political messiah
to drive out the Romans and rebuild the temple. Some Christians today believe that a rebuilt temple is
necessary before Jesus returns. They believe that modern Israel will accomplish the task even though a
Moslem mosque sits on the temple mount. For many Christians a third temple holds much significance just as it
would for many religious Jews. The region is no less volatile than it was in the days of Jesus and Titus.

It seems to me from a reading of Matthew 24 that the disciple’s expectations were that all three events would
be fulfilled in relatively short order believing that Jesus was the political messiah that everyone thought would
throw off the Roman yoke.

Jesus’ answers which are long indicate otherwise. Instead Jesus predicts a near present fulfillment (the
destruction of the temple) and a future fulfillment of the end of an age and a reference to his second coming.
Jesus’ answer was no doubt confusing to the disciples who maintained preconceived notions like many of their
countrymen.

John 2:13-22 sheds some additional light on the issue.

The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who
were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords,
he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-
changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not
make my Father’s house a house of trade.” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house
will consume me.”So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” Jesus
answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken
forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the
temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said
this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. (John 2:13-22 ESV)
In this rather straight forward account Jesus makes reference to the temple as his Father’s house. He is angry
about the money changers and turns over their tables.. His disciples viewing the incident do some
remembering that Jesus is consumed by zeal for his Father’s house.

The Jews react to Jesus’ actions and words and ask for a sign (of authority). Jesus answers, “destroy this
temple and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews misunderstand the “this” and assume he means Herod’s
Temple. He does not mean Herod’s Temple.
At the time the disciples don’t understand but in verses 21-22 John says the “this” was Jesus’ body and that
when Jesus was raised from the dead they believed the Scripture having remembered what Jesus had said. In
other words the disciples do not totally get the prophecy until Jesus rises from the dead. They then remember
what he has said about temples and himself being The Temple that would save people from their sins.

Today many professing Christians do not look at the Bible as being reliable or they think it is outdated. Yet,
fulfilled prophecy is hard to explain away when taken seriously by an objective person.

Matthew 24 is a fascinating study in fulfilled prophecy and the fulfillment of later prophecies.

______________________________________________________________

Sicarii (Latin plural of Sicarius "dagger-men", in Modern Hebrew rendered siqariqim ‫ )סיקריקים‬is a term
applied, in the decades immediately preceding the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE, to an extremist
splinter group[1] of the Jewish Zealots, who attempted to expel the Romans and their partisans from the
Roman province of Judea.[2] The Sicarii carried sicae, or small daggers, concealed in their cloaks, hence
their name.[3] At public gatherings, they pulled out these daggers to attack Romans or Roman
sympathizers, blending into the crowd after the deed to escape detection.
The Latin word sicarii translates to "dagger-wielders", from the root secare Latin for "to slice"; in Roman
legal Latin it is the standard plural form of the term for a murderer, or for putting a murderer on trial
(see e.g. the Lex Cornelia de Sicariis et Veneficiis)[4] during that period of legal Latin.

)____
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