C. 300-500 AD Roman. An iron spearhead comprising a slender tapering leaf-shaped blade with a raised midrib and a long socket for increased control. Weapons of this type were used in the Late Roman period both by Roman soldiers and by their Barbarian adversaies. Its large size suggests it was probably used alongside a shield by heavy infantry fighting in close formation. For more information on Roman weaponry in general see Bishop and Coulston 2005, “Roman Military Equipment from the Punic Wars to the Fall of Rome.“ Good condition. Size: L:373mm / W:43mm ; 385g; Provenance: Property of a London gallery, previously in old British collection formed in the 1970s.