The pilum was not meant to win a duel. It was meant to win the seconds before the duel—when ranks were tight, shields locked, and morale still firm. Roman legionaries usually carried one or two pila. As an enemy line closed, the front ranks advanced into short throwing range, close enough to guarantee force rather than distance. While a pilum could fly over twenty yards, the effective range was often much shorter, chosen to maximize impact and disruption just before contact. Design explains the

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