A Hunting Spear Technique from Xenophon’s Cynegeticus

[The proper way to deliver a firm and powerful thrust ‘with the left hand steadying and the right hand driving’,

according to Xenophon. Floor mosaic, 4th century CE, from a Roman villa near Mérida, Spain]

In his short treatise Cynegeticus (On Hunting) the Athenian philosopher and military leader, Xenophon, gives us advice in great detail on how to bring down a wild boar using the hunting spear. Through the sport of hunting, as he himself mentions, a man could gain many advantages ‘for it makes the body healthy, improves the sight and hearing, keeps men from growing old and affords the best training for war’ (On Hunt. 12.1). And when it comes to boar hunting, the sport becomes not only a pursuit but a real fight.

Boar hunting required several huntsmen, many traps and nets , a variety of javelins and spears as well as different species of hounds ‘for the task of capturing the beast is not a light one even for a large number of men’ (On Hunt. 10.3). Their javelins should be ‘of every variety, with broad and keen blades and strong shafts. The hunting spears (provolia/προβόλια) should have spear-heads fifteen inches long with stout teeth at the middle of the socket forged in one piece but standing out; their shafts of cornel wood and as thick as the military spear’ (On Hunt. 10.3).

As the hounds press their attack, the huntsmen must fling their javelins at the boar and pelt it with stones. Then ‘the most experienced and strong man must approach it in front and thrust it with his provolion’ (On Hunt. 10.10). As he approaches spear in hand, he must grasp the provolion (literally meaning projecting, from προβάλλω=to project) ‘with the left hand in front and the right hand behind, since the left steadies while the right drives it. The left foot being forward following the left hand and the right foot behind together with the right hand. As he advances, let him project his spear stepping with no larger steps than the ones used in wrestling, turning the left side towards the left hand and watching the beast’s eye noting the movement of its head. Let him project the provolion taking care that the boar does not knock it out of his hands with a jerk of his head which follows up the impetus of the strike’ (On Hunt. 10.11/10.12). ‘He must again present the spear in the same way as before and thrust it inside the shoulder-blade where the throat is and push with all his strength. The enraged beast will come on and but for the teeth of the blade, would shove himself forward along the shaft far enough to reach the man holding the spear’ (On Hunt. 10.16).

Chrysovalantis Tampakakis

[The Calydonian Boar Hunt, Peter Paul Rubens, about 1611 – 1612, Oil on panel, J. Paul Getty Museum]