Unit Browser for RTR: Imperium Surrectum

Short description

Light skirmisher infantry armed with a special flaming javelin, the Falarica.

Description

Falarica Infantry are light infantry armed with a special javelin, the Falarica. The Falarica is a javelin that is set on fire before it is thrown, causing panic and discord in the enemy! They use it as their main weapon, throwing it before charging with their swords. Their light equipment, in the form of leather armour, a small round wooden shield (the Caetra), and a leather helmet, gives them the plenty of protection and agility required for good skirmisher troops. The only difference between them and "regular" Caetrati infantry is the use of the Falarica, a javelin that can be set ablaze, and which is the ultimate anti-elephant weapon, next only to the famous flaming pigs.

The Falarica was a heavy javelin with a long, thin, iron head of about 90 centimeters in length attached to a wooden shaft of about equal length. The iron head had a sharp, narrow tip, which made the Falarica an excellent armour-piercing weapon. But the deadliest aspect of the Falarica is that the Gallaeci tribes that command these men bind combustible materials to the iron head. Then, they set it alight just before throwing it. Shield, armour or siege works hit by the flaming Falarica would often be set ablaze, and in the first two cases the men hit would have to discard their protection, leaving them defenceless and vulnerable to the Gallaeci's swords. It has also of course the same piercing effect as a classical javelin when hitting a body. But the most interesting aspect is the fear it causes to elephants, as the Carthaginians on campaign in Iberia rapidly became aware.

The Falarica was also sometime used by siege engines to increase its range and velocity. It seems that the Falarica comes from either ancient Greek 'phalòs' (φαλòς), because it came out of a 'phala' (an ancient round tower posted on cities' walls where the Falaricas were fired from), or from 'phalēròs' (φαληρòς), meaning 'shining'; reflecting the fact it was on fire! Most of the Falaricas discovered in archaeology come from the vicinity of Saguntum, a town on the eastern coast of Iberia.

"...when hurled like a thunderbolt from the topmost walls of the citadel, it clove the furrowed air with a flickering flame, even as a fiery meteor speeding from heaven to earth dazzles mens eyes with its blood red tail... and when in flight it struck the side of a huge tower, it kindled a fire which burnt until all of the woodwork of the tower was utterly consumed" Silius Italicus (1968) Vol. I pp27-31