he was a short throwing weapon, carried by both heavy and light infantry as well as cavalry, and measuring on average about 10cm in length (although we have no information on the length of the shaft). Consisting of a socketed or tanged metal head (we see both) attached to a short wooden shaft (we have evidence of only one rivet), the weapon took its Latin name from the lead alloy cast around the point at which the shaft met the head, which additionally gave it weight and
