The most terrible weapon of antiquity. The most unusual and frightening weapons of antiquity Weapons of ancient times with names

The word "weapon" in a broad sense means devices and objects that are structurally designed to hit a living or other target, for attack and defense. Mankind has been using weapons since ancient times. The first weapons were stick and stone. Initially, the main purpose of the weapon was primarily protection from predators, and then hunting. Over time, weapons began to be used to attack and protect against other people.

Khopesh - a type of melee weapon ancient egypt with a sickle-shaped blade. In form and function, it is something between a sword and an axe. Khopesh quite successfully combines the features of both of these weapons - with this weapon you can chop, cut, stab. The first mention of it appears in the New Kingdom, the last - about 1300 BC. e. Most often, the khopesh worked like an ax; in practice, it is impossible to stop its blow with just one blade - it breaks through. When experimenting on a plywood shield without fittings 10 mm thick, a training khopesh with a blade thickness of 4 to 8 mm and a weight of 1.8 kg pierced through it without any problems. blows reverse side the blade easily pierced the helmet.

Kakute

A combat ring or kakute is a non-lethal type of Japanese weapon that consists of a small hoop around the finger and riveted / welded spikes (usually from one to three). A warrior usually wore one or two rings - one on the middle or index finger, and the other on the thumb. Most often, the rings were worn with spikes inside and were used in cases where it was necessary to capture and hold a person, but not kill him or cause deep damage. However, if the kakute were turned with spikes outward, they turned into jagged brass knuckles. The purpose of the kakute was to subdue the enemy, not to kill him. These battle rings were especially popular with kunoichi - female ninjas. They used poison-coated kakute for quick, fatal attacks.

Shuangou

Shuangou is a sword with a hook-shaped tip, a pommel in the form of a dagger-point and a sickle guard. As a result, a warrior armed with such strange weapons was able to fight at different distances, both close and at a distance from the enemy at the distance of the tip of the sword. The front part of the blade, the concave part of the “guard”, the pommel of the handle and outer side hook. Sometimes the inner side of the hook was not sharpened, which made it possible to grip this part of the weapon and strike, like with an ax, with the same “month-shaped guard”. All this variety of blades made it possible to combine techniques, both at a long distance and up close. With a dagger handle, you can beat with reverse movements, with a sickle - with a guard, not only cut the enemy, but also beat like brass knuckles. The toe - the hook of the sword made it possible not only to hit with chopping or cutting movements, but also to cling to the enemy, grab limbs, hook, pinch and block the weapon, or even pull it out. It was possible to hook the shuangou with hooks, and thus suddenly increase the attack distance.

Zhua

Another Chinese weapon. The iron "hand" of the zhua was a long stick, at the end of which a copy of a human hand with huge claws was attached, which easily tore off pieces of flesh from the body of opponents. The sheer weight of the zhua (about 9 kg) was enough to kill the enemy, but with claws, everything looked even more creepy. If the zhua was used by an experienced warrior, he could pull the soldiers off their horses. But the main goal of the zhua was to snatch the shields from the hands of opponents, leaving them defenseless against deadly claws.

Skissor

In fact, it is a metal armlet, which ends with a semicircular tip. Served for protection, successful blocking of enemy blows, as well as for inflicting one's own blows. Scissor wounds were not fatal, but very unpleasant, leading to profuse bleeding. The skissor was light and had a length of 45 cm. The Roman gladiators were the first to use the skissor, and if you look at the images of these battles, you can definitely distinguish the skissor from most of the warriors.

scythed chariot

It was an advanced war chariot with horizontal blades about 1 meter long on each side of the wheel. The Greek commander Xenophon, a participant in the battle of Kunaksa, tells about them this way: “They were thin braids, expanded at an angle from the axis, and also under the driver’s seat, turned to the ground.” This weapon was used mainly for a frontal attack on the enemy's formation. The effect here was calculated not only on the physical elimination of the enemy, but also on the psychological moment that demoralizes the enemy. The main task of the scythed chariots was the destruction of infantry battle formations. During the fifth century before the advent of our era, the Persians were constantly at war with the Greeks. It was the Greeks who had heavily armed infantry, which was difficult for the Persian horsemen to overcome. But these chariots literally terrified the opponents.

Greek fire

A combustible mixture used for military purposes during the Middle Ages. It was first used by the Byzantines in naval battles. The installation with Greek fire was a copper pipe - a siphon, through which a liquid mixture erupted with a roar. Used as a buoyant force compressed air, or bellows like blacksmith's. Presumably, the maximum range of the siphons was 25-30 m, so initially Greek fire was used only in the fleet, where it posed a terrible threat to the slow and clumsy wooden ships that time. In addition, according to contemporaries, the Greek fire could not be put out by anything, since it continued to burn even on the surface of the water.

Morgenstern

Literally from German - "morning star". Melee weapons of shock-crushing action in the form of a metal ball equipped with spikes. It was used as a pommel of clubs or flails. Such a pommel greatly increased the weight of the weapon - the morningstar itself weighed more than 1.2 kg, which had a strong moral impact on the enemy, frightening him with his appearance.

Kusarigama

Kusarigama consists of a sickle kama, to which a shock weight is attached with a chain. The length of the handle of the sickle can reach 60 cm, and the length of the blade of the sickle - up to 20 cm. The blade of the sickle is perpendicular to the handle, it is sharpened from the inside, concave side and ends with a point. The chain is attached to the other end of the handle, or to the butt of the sickle. Its length is about 2.5 m or less. The technique of working with this weapon made it possible to strike the enemy with a weight, or confuse him with a chain, and then attack with a sickle. In addition, it was possible to throw the sickle itself at the enemy, and then return it with a chain. Thus, kusarigama was used in the defense of fortresses.

Macuahutl

Aztec weapon resembling a sword. Its length, as a rule, reached 90-120 cm. Sharpened pieces of volcanic glass (obsidian) were attached along the wooden blade. The wounds from the use of this weapon were horrendous due to the combination of a sharp edge (enough to decapitate an opponent) and barbs that tore at flesh. The last mention of makuahutla dates back to 1884.

Wars have been fought since time immemorial. In the same time immemorial, the first weapon was invented. See our most interesting views here.

Chinese weapon, it can be called the progenitor automatic rifle. The wooden section on the crossbow had 10 arrows, which were reloaded when the triangular lever was pulled back after a shot. AT last time chu ko nu was seen in the Sino-Japanese wars of 1894-1895, after the advent of firearms. On average, the crossbow fired 10 arrows in 15 seconds. Compared to the reload speed of conventional bows and crossbows, this was a great achievement. For greater damage, the point of the arrows was smeared with poison from the aconite flower.

Used by the Maori tribes in New Zealand. This simple-looking thing was made of jade. For the Maori, she was a sacred weapon. They gave names to their clubs and passed them down from generation to generation. Maori even believed that they contained their own mana (spiritual power). Their club was a symbol of leadership.

Curved swords

Such curved swords were worn in China by Shaolin monks. These beautiful blades were forged in the form of a hook so that their owner could join them and wear them as one solid blade. The guard, made in the shape of a crescent, perfectly blocked blows and literally cut through enemies. The hilt was pointed to attack the enemy at close range. The length of such a sword was 121-188 cm. Such swords were used mainly by civilians, and not by the army.

Kpinga is Throwing Knife, which was used by experienced warriors of the Azanda tribe. They lived in Nubia, a region of Africa that includes northern Sudan and southern Egypt. This knife was up to 55.88 cm long and had 3 blades with a base in the center. The blade closest to the hilt was shaped like a male genitalia and represented the male power of its owner. The very design of the kpinga blades increased the chances of hitting the enemy as hard as possible on contact. When the owner of the knife got married, he presented the kping as a gift to the family of his future wife.

This strange looking weapon was used in gladiator fights in the Roman Empire. The metal cavity at the base of the scissor covered the gladiator's hand, which made it possible to easily block blows, as well as inflict their own. The skissor was made of solid steel and was 45 cm long. It was surprisingly light, which made it possible to strike quickly.

You definitely can't play Frisbee with this. It was usually thrown vertically rather than horizontally. This deadly metal circle was up to 30 cm in diameter. Its very sharp edges could easily cut off an arm or leg. This weapon originated in India, where it was used by influential Sikhs. One way of throwing chakram was to spin the ring on the index finger, and then with a sharp movement of the wrist, throw the weapon at the enemy.

This Indian weapon gave its owner the claws of a wolverine, the blade lacking only the strength and cutting ability of adamant. At first glance, the katar is one blade, but when the lever on the handle is pressed, this blade splits into three - one in the middle and two on the sides. Three blades not only give the weapon effectiveness, but also intimidate the enemy. The shape of the handle makes it easy to block blows. But it is also important that the triple blade can cut through any Asian armor.

Another Chinese weapon. The iron "hand" of the zhua had claws at the ends, which easily tore off pieces of flesh from the body. The sheer weight of a zhua was enough to kill an enemy, but with claws, things looked even more creepy. If the zhua was used by an experienced warrior, he could pull the soldiers off their horses. But the main goal of the zhua was to snatch the shields from the hands of opponents, leaving them defenseless against deadly claws.

The history of wars is the history of the invention of weapons. And it is worth noting that even in the world modern technologies a weapon that was created hundreds of years ago, and today looks quite effective. Somehow we discussed with you, and this review contains the most incredible types of weapons that look rather strange today.

Let's start the review...

1. Greek steam gun

In 214 BC, the troops of the Roman Republic laid siege to the Sicilian city of Syracuse in order to gain strategic control over the island of Sicily. The commander Marcus Claudius Marcellus commanded navy of 60 quinqueremes (Roman war galleys with 5 rows of oars). He attacked the city from the sea (from the Strait of Messina), while the ground forces began to attack Syracuse from the land. Despite the fact that the city was surrounded on all sides and blocked from the outside world, it could not be taken in any way due to the fact that the opponents of the Romans had such famous inventor like Archimedes.

The ballistas on the walls slaughtered the attacking cavalry. And from the side of the sea, the ships also had a difficult time. During the siege, Archimedes developed a weapon that could literally reduce ships up to 150 meters away to ash. All it took was… a few drops of water. The device was deceptively simple: a copper tube was heated on coals, after which a clay hollow projectile was thrown into it. When the pipe was heated to redness, some water was poured into it, which immediately evaporated. The steam fired a projectile that, when it hit the wooden ship, flooded it with flammable chemicals.

2. Vortex Catapult

Catapults are war machines that have existed for centuries. Movies usually show huge structures bombarding the walls with stones. At the same time, the Chinese developed a smaller version of this combat vehicle, which they called the Xuanfeng or "vortex catapult", which is characterized by extraordinary accuracy. Like sniper rifle, the vortex catapult fired once, but right on target. These combat vehicles were small enough to be quickly moved across the battlefield, giving them a strategic advantage over the heavier catapults and trebuchets, which were more destructive but far less maneuverable.

3. Jet cats

Until 2014, no one had even heard of jet or rocket cats. At least no one except Franz Helm, who invented them. Around 1530 AD. an artillery master from Cologne created a manual for conducting siege warfare. At that time, gunpowder was beginning to be actively used in Europe, so the manual was detailed description all kinds of bombs with colorful illustrations. Among them was a description of a rocket cat. It was recommended to catch a cat from a besieged city, tie a bomb to it and let it go. The cat allegedly will run away to his home (i.e. inside the city), where he will explode.

4. Triple arcballista

Ballista - a giant crossbow on a cart - was invented during Ancient Greece and Rome. It was a very powerful weapon, but this was clearly not enough for the Chinese and they created three giant bows in one. The evolution of the arcballista, which used a pair or more arcs, took place gradually, starting during the Tang Dynasty. Records from that time indicate that arcballists could shoot iron bolts at a distance of up to 1100 meters, i.e. three times farther than other siege weapons. It was thanks to the arcballists that the Mongols were able to turn the tide of the war in their favor, which eventually led to the emergence of the Yuan dynasty.

5. Shooting shield

Even in the 16th century, when firearms was a novelty, people realized that the future was with the firearm. In the armory of King Henry VIII, in addition to his favorite morningstars, there were three pistols and 46 gun shields. These shields were usually wooden or metal discs with a pistol sticking out of the center. Although these shields were previously considered a historical curiosity, they may have been quite common. On some shields in museums, traces of gunpowder were found, which clearly indicates that they were previously actively used.

6. Chinese flamethrower

Chinese inventors have created some of the strangest weapons the world has ever seen. The first prototypes of flamethrowers, the so-called "fire spears", appeared in the 10th century. These were spears to which bamboo tubes were attached, capable of firing fire and shrapnel up to several meters away. They were soon replaced by bamboo cannons, which could fire almost continuously thanks to low nitrate gunpowder.

Such cannons could produce an almost continuous stream of flame for up to five minutes. Also, arsenic oxide was added to the fiery mixture, which, when burned, caused vomiting and convulsions in the enemy. Moreover, razor-sharp porcelain shards were also often loaded into the barrels of cannons for additional destructive power.

7. Whipgun

On March 17, 1834, Joshua Shaw patented a whip with a pistol hidden inside the handle. Instead of a conventional trigger, this pistol had a button on the whip handle that could be easily pressed. thumb. This allowed a person to use the whip as usual, but still be able to shoot from his handle.

8. Hwacha

At the turn of the 16th century, hwacha, the first jet system, was invented in Korea. salvo fire, which could fire more than 100 missiles in one salvo. Also, the emperors had larger versions of this weapon, which fired 200 rockets at a time. As ammunition, the hwacha used arrows that exploded on impact with the target.

When the Japanese invasion of the country began in 1592, Korea already had hundreds of hwankhs in service. During the siege of Haenju in 1593, the 30,000-strong Japanese army suffered a crushing defeat from 3,000 soldiers, townspeople and monk warriors, who simply flooded the besieging army with fire from the walls. More than 10 thousand invaders died.

9. Ax pistol

Almost every developed culture had its own prototypes of gunblades - shooting blades. The most original in this was Germany, where axes with built-in trunks were invented in the mid-1500s. They could be used simultaneously as a chopping and firearm.

10. Hellburner

In 1584, at the beginning of the Eighty Years' War, Spain laid siege to Antwerp, where the Dutch rebels were hiding. Federigo Giambelli (who a few years ago offered his invention to the Spaniards, but they only laughed at him) suggested that the Antwerp authorities break the Spanish siege with the help of "hell burners" - improved firewalls.

The city gave him only 2 ships instead of the required 60, but this did not bother Giambelli. He made cement chambers inside the ships (so that the gunpowder did not accidentally explode), which he filled with 3,000 kilograms of gunpowder, and also installed clockwork fuses for the first time in history. As a result, the ships exploded among the Spanish ships, instantly killing 1,000 people.

That's how they used to shoot, but here. Here are the edged weapons of past years and this one. By the way, here interesting story about The original article is on the website InfoGlaz.rf Link to the article from which this copy is made -

Dream up and imagine the wars of the future: there are no tanks and machine guns, and opponents fire at each other from electromagnetic guns projectiles that can reach the opposite side of the Earth in a few minutes. Some of these plans have already been implemented, so future generations will not be bored. But the most dangerous weapon in the world for sure it has not even been invented yet.

1. Tsar bomb

The most powerful thermonuclear charge Soviet Union blew up at a test site located on Novaya Zemlya, and only a year and a half later, N. Khrushchev "pleased" the world with the news that the USSR had a hydrogen bomb with a capacity of 100 megatons.
The political purpose of the tests was to show America its military power because she was able to create hydrogen bomb 4 times less power. The test was aerial - the "tsar bomb" (then it was called "Kuzkin's mother" in Khrushchev's language) exploded at an altitude of 4.2 km.
The explosion mushroom rose into the stratosphere (67 kilometers), having a diameter of 9.2 kilometers. Three times the shock wave of the explosion circled Earth, another 40 minutes after it, the ionized atmosphere spoiled the quality of radio communications for hundreds of kilometers around. The heat from the explosion directly below the epicenter was so strong that it turned even stones into ashes. Fortunately, this gigantic explosion was quite “clean”, since 97% of the energy was released due to thermonuclear fusion, and, unlike nuclear decay, it almost does not pollute the territory with radiation.

2. Castle Bravo

It was the American answer to the “kuzkin mother”, but much more “thin” - some miserable 15 megatons. But if you think about it, this figure should impress. With the help of such a bomb, it would be quite possible to destroy a large metropolis. Structurally, it was a two-stage ammunition consisting of a thermonuclear charge (solid lithium deuteride) and a uranium shell.
The explosion was carried out on Bikini Atoll, and a total of 10,000 people watched it: from a special bunker 32 km from the explosion site, from ships and aircraft. The strength of the explosion exceeded the calculated one by 2.5 times due to the underestimation of the fact that one of the lithium isotopes, which were considered ballast, also participated in the reaction. The explosion was ground-based (the charge was in a special bunker) and left behind a giant funnel, but the main thing is that it was incredibly “dirty” - it contaminated a large space with radiation. She suffered a lot local residents, Japanese sailors and even the US military itself.

3. Atomic bomb

This type of weapon started new chapter military business. As you know, the Americans were the first to create an atomic bomb, who on July 16, 1945 conducted its first test in the desert in New Mexico. It was a single-stage plutonium device called the Gadget. Not satisfied with the first successful test, the US military hastened almost immediately to test it in a real war.
We can say that the tests in Hiroshima and Nagasaki were successful - both cities were destroyed, thousands of people died. But the world was horrified by the power of the new weapon and the one who owned it. That application nuclear weapons on real targets, fortunately, it turned out to be the only one. In 1950, the USSR got its own atomic bomb, as a result of which an equilibrium was created in the world based on inevitable retribution and mutual nuclear destruction in the event of a “hot war” unleashing.
Having acquired such powerful weapon, the two countries had to resolve the issues of its prompt delivery to the target. As a result, strategic bombers, ballistic missiles and submarines were developed. Since the air defense system began to outperform aviation, preference was given to missiles, which are now the main delivery vehicle for nuclear charges.

4. Topol-M

This modern missile system is the best in Russian army delivery vehicle. Its 3-stage rockets are invulnerable to any modern look air defense. A missile designed to carry nuclear charges is ready to hit a target 11,000 km away. The Russian army has about 100 such complexes. The development of Topol-M began back in the USSR, and its first tests took place in 1994, with only one of 16 launches ending in failure. Although the system is already on alert, it continues to be improved, in particular, the head of the rocket.

5. Chemical weapons

First mass application chemical weapons in combat conditions happened near the Belgian city of Ypres in April 1915. Then the Germans launched clouds of chlorine at the enemy from cylinders previously installed on the front line. Then 5,000 died and 15,000 Frenchmen, who were not ready for such a turn, were seriously poisoned. Then the armies of all countries indulged in the use of mustard gas, phosgene and bromine, far from always getting the expected result.
Japanese next world war reused chemical weapon in combat in China. For example, when they bombed the city of Woqu, they dropped a thousand chemical shells on it, and another 2,500 bombs were thrown on Dingxiang. The Japanese used chemical weapons until the end of the war. According to rough estimates, about 50,000 soldiers and civilians died from the use of chemical weapons.
The next large-scale use of chemical weapons was distinguished by the Americans in Vietnam, who in the 60s sprayed 72 million liters of defoliants over its jungle, with the help of which they sought to destroy the vegetation in the thick of which the Vietnamese guerrillas, who so annoyed the Yankees, hid. Dioxin was present in these mixtures, which has a cumulative effect, as a result, people developed blood diseases and internal organs, occurred genetic mutations. From chemical attacks Americans suffered almost 5 million Vietnamese, and the number of victims continued to grow after the end of the war.
The last time chemical weapons were used in Syria was in 2013, with the conflicting parties blaming each other for this. As you can see, the ban on chemical weapons by the Hague and Geneva conventions does not stop the military much. Although Russia destroyed 80% of the stocks of chemical weapons it inherited from the USSR.

6. Laser weapons

This is more of a hypothetical weapon under development. So, in 2010, the Americans reported a successful test of a laser gun off the coast of California - a 32 MW device was able to shoot down 4 drones at a distance of over 3 km. If successful, such a weapon will be able to destroy targets hundreds of kilometers apart from space in a matter of seconds.

7. Bioweapon

By antiquity, biological weapons are ready to compete with cold ones. So, one and a half thousand years BC. e. The Hittites struck the enemies with a plague. Understanding the power of biological weapons, many armies, leaving the fortresses, left infected corpses there. The Japanese during World War II, in addition to chemical weapons, did not disdain biological weapons.
The causative agent of anthrax is one of the most dangerous for humans. This bacterium lives for a long time in the ground. In 2001, letters with white powder began to arrive in the American Parliament, and immediately there was a fuss that these were anthrax spores. 22 people were infected, 5 of whom died. Most often, infection can occur through skin lesions, but it is also possible to become infected by swallowing or inhaling bacillus spores.
Now to biological weapons equated both genetic and entomological weapons. The second is associated with the use of insects that suck blood or otherwise attack a person, and the first is able to selectively act on groups of people with a certain genetic feature. In modern biological munitions, strains of various pathogens are usually used - in this way, an increase in mortality among people exposed to it can be achieved. Preference is given to strains that are not transmitted between people, so that an attack on a specific target does not turn into a large-scale epidemic.

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8. MLRS "Smerch"

The ancestor of this formidable weapon was the famous Katyusha, which was used with great success against the German army. After atomic bomb This, according to experts, is the most terrible weapon. It takes only 3 minutes to prepare a 12-barreled Smerch for battle, and a volley is fired in 38 seconds. This system effectively destroys modern tanks and other armored vehicles. Rocket projectiles can be launched from a remote control or directly from the cab of a car. "Smerch" can be successfully used in extreme heat and in severe cold, at any time of the day.
This weapon is not selective - it destroys armored vehicles and personnel over a large area. Russia exports this type of weapons to 13 states, including the United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, India, Peru, and Kuwait. The machine with the installation is not too expensive for its efficiency - about 12.5 million dollars. But the work of one such installation is capable of stopping the advance of an enemy division.

9. Neutron bomb

American Samuel Cohen invented the neutron bomb as a variant of a nuclear weapon with minimal destructive power, but a maximum of radiation that kills all life. The shock wave here accounts for only 10-20% of the energy released during the explosion (in an atomic explosion, half of the explosion energy is spent on destruction).
Americans after development neutron bomb put it into service with their army, but after a while they abandoned this option. The action of the neutron bomb turned out to be ineffective, since the released neutrons are actively absorbed by the atmosphere, and the effect of their action is local. Moreover, neutron charges had a minimum power - only 5-6 kilotons. But much more useful were neutron charges in missile defense systems. Exploding near the enemy aircraft or rockets, a neutron anti-missile creates a powerful neutron flux that disables all electronics and control of the target.
Another direction of development of this idea was neutron guns, which are a generator capable of creating a directed neutron flux (actually an accelerator). The more powerful the generator, the more powerful neutron flux it can provide. Like a weapon now possessed by the armies of the United States, Russia and France.

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10. Intercontinental ballistic missile RS-20 "Voevoda"

This is another Soviet model strategic weapons. NATO representatives nicknamed this missile "Satan" for its exceptional destructive power. For the same reason, she got into the ubiquitous Guinness Book of Records. This ballistic missile can hit objects at a distance of 11,000 kilometers. Its separable warheads are able to bypass the system missile defense, which makes the RS-20 seem even scarier.

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Any weapon is made for a specific purpose: some are defensive, some are offensive. And there is one that was made specifically in order to deliver as much suffering as possible to the enemy. It's about this unique weapons antiquity and will be discussed in this collection.

Khopesh

Khopesh is a type of cold weapon of Ancient Egypt with a sickle-shaped blade. In form and function, it is something between a sword and an axe. Khopesh quite successfully combines the features of both of these weapons - with this weapon you can chop, cut, stab. The first mention of it appears in the New Kingdom, the last - about 1300 BC. e. Most often, the khopesh worked like an ax; in practice, it is impossible to stop its blow with just one blade - it breaks through. When experimenting on a 10 mm thick plywood shield without a binding, a training khopesh with a blade thickness of 4 to 8 mm and a weight of 1.8 kg pierced it through without any problems. Blows with the back of the blade easily pierced the helmet.

Kakute

A fighting ring or kakute is a non-lethal type of Japanese weapon that consists of a small hoop around the finger and riveted / welded spikes (usually from one to three). A warrior usually wore one or two rings - one on the middle or index finger, and the other on the thumb. Most often, the rings were worn with spikes inside and were used in cases where it was necessary to capture and hold a person, but not kill him or cause deep damage. However, if the kakute were turned with spikes outward, they turned into jagged brass knuckles. The purpose of the kakute was to subdue the enemy, not to kill him. These battle rings were especially popular among kunoichi - female ninjas. They used poison-coated kakute for quick, fatal attacks.

Shuangou

Shuangou is a sword with a hook-shaped tip, a pommel in the form of a dagger-point and a sickle guard. As a result, a warrior armed with such strange weapons was able to fight at different distances, both close and at a distance from the enemy at the distance of the tip of the sword. The front part of the blade, the concave part of the "guard", the pommel of the handle and the outer side of the hook were sharpened. Sometimes the inner side of the hook was not sharpened, which made it possible to grip this part of the weapon and strike, like with an ax, with the same “month-shaped guard”. All this variety of blades made it possible to combine techniques, both at a long distance and up close. With a dagger handle, you can beat with reverse movements, with a sickle - a guard, not only cut the enemy, but also beat like a brass knuckles. The toe - the hook of the sword made it possible not only to hit with chopping or cutting movements, but also to cling to the enemy, grab limbs, hook, pinch and block the weapon, or even pull it out. It was possible to hook the shuangou with hooks, and thus suddenly increase the attack distance.

Zhua

Skissor

In fact - a metal armlet, which ends with a semicircular tip. Served for protection, successful blocking of enemy blows, as well as for inflicting one's own blows. Scissor wounds were not fatal, but very unpleasant, leading to profuse bleeding. The skissor was light and had a length of 45 cm. The Roman gladiators were the first to use the skissor, and if you look at the images of these battles, you can definitely distinguish the skissor from most of the warriors.

scythed chariot

Greek fire

A combustible mixture used for military purposes during the Middle Ages. It was first used by the Byzantines in naval battles. The installation with Greek fire was a copper pipe - a siphon, through which a liquid mixture erupted with a roar. Compressed air, or bellows like blacksmith's bellows, was used as the buoyant force. Presumably, the maximum range of the siphons was 25–30 m, so initially Greek fire was used only in the fleet, where it posed a terrible threat to the slow and clumsy wooden ships of that time. In addition, according to contemporaries, the Greek fire could not be put out by anything, since it continued to burn even on the surface of the water.

Morgenstern

Literally from German - "morning star". Melee weapons of shock-crushing action in the form of a metal ball equipped with spikes. It was used as a pommel of clubs or flails. Such a pommel greatly increased the weight of the weapon - the morning star itself weighed more than 1.2 kg, which had a strong moral impact on the enemy, frightening him with his appearance.

Kusarigama

Macuahutl

Aztec, resembling a sword. Its length, as a rule, reached 90-120 cm. Sharpened pieces of volcanic glass (obsidian) were attached along the wooden blade. The wounds from the use of this weapon were horrendous due to the combination of a sharp edge (enough to decapitate an opponent) and barbs that tore at flesh. The last mention of makuahutla dates back to 1884.