https://collectionantiqueused.com Fri, 14 Aug 2026 20:48:48 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1 https://collectionantiqueused.com/roman-bronze-incendiary-fire-arrowhead-phalarica-or-malleolus-type-antiquity/ https://collectionantiqueused.com/roman-bronze-incendiary-fire-arrowhead-phalarica-or-malleolus-type-antiquity/#comments Thu, 13 Aug 2026 20:45:41 +0000 https://collectionantiqueused.com/roman-bronze-incendiary-fire-arrowhead-phalarica-or-malleolus-type-antiquity/





Roman Bronze Incendiary / Fire-Arrowhead (Phalarica or Malleolus Type) (Circa 1st-3rd Century AD) 35mm Authentic. This artifact is certified authentic and will be accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity and Provenance. All professional inventory is vetted through recognized platforms to ensure legal standing. Object: Incendiary Arrowhead (Phalarica / Fire-Holding Bolt). Date: Circa 100-300 AD. Form: Trilobate / hollowed-channel projectile point designed to hold incendiary materials. Region: Imperial Roman Provinces / Frontier Finds. Typological Analysis: Ancient Incendiary Warfare. This 35mm bronze projectile is a specialized military point designed specifically for incendiary warfare. The Fire-Holding Design: Unlike conventional solid armor-piercing or barbed arrowheads, this point features deep, wide open channels along its faces. These recesses served as reservoirs to hold combustible pitch, tow, resin, or naphtha-soaked fibers without blowing out during flight. Tactical Function: Used primarily during siege operations or naval engagements, these “fire arrows” (malleoli) were fired into wooden fort structures, siege engines, or enemy sails to ignite blazes behind enemy lines. Socketed Base: Features a hollowed socket designed to take a wooden shaft, secured to withstand the violent launch forces from a composite bow or specialized torsion artillery frame. Overview and Historical Context. Incendiary weapons played a crucial role in Roman siegecraft and frontier defense. Classical authors like Ammianus Marcellinus describe the specialized construction of malleoli, noting that once ignited, the burning pitch contained within the recessed blades was extremely difficult to extinguish with water. This 35mm specimen is a remarkable survival of ancient tactical engineering, reflecting the specialized hardware used by Roman archers (sagittarii) across the garrisons of the Empire. Patina: Displays a well-preserved, layered desert-tan, sand-colored caliche, and olive-green patina, typical of long-term burial in mineral-rich soils. Mineralization: Deep-seated oxidation, heavy earthen deposits, and ancient pitting are deeply embedded within the fire-holding channels. Construction: Exhibits minor asymmetries in the blade casting and socket rim consistent with Roman field-armory production techniques. The British Museum, London: Accession No. 1883,1213.62 (Roman incendiary and trilobate military arrowheads). Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum (RGZM), Mainz: Specialized holdings of Roman siege equipment and projectile points. Saalburg Roman Fort Museum, Germany: Extensive collection of military ironwork and bronze archer equipment from the Limes. Very fine archaeological condition. The bronze is structurally sound and rigid. The fire-holding channels are sharply defined, and the socket remains intact under a natural, museum-grade patina.

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