519-525

A rare case of death in the 2nd century B.C. from a bolt Head at Leukopetra, Hematheia : identification of a new Weapon

• Αντίκας, Θεόδωρος Γ.
• Wynn-Αντίκας, Laura

A rescue excavation by archaeologist Dr. Liana Stefani at the site of Leukopetra (Hematheia, Central Macedonia) in 2000-2004 revealed a Hellenistic building of the 4th century BC. In Room 12 of the building was the burial of a man covered by sizeable lithos (rocks) giving the impression of a heroon. The man was aged 31±5 years, his stature was 169.8 cm and had died in the mid-2nd century BC, as indicated by one coin found in his mouth and three in his right palm. The analysis of his skeletal remains revealed a lozenge-shaped trauma between the 11th and 12th thoracic vertebrae indicating complete penetration of his spine by some sharp projectile, most probably an oxybelos thrown at him by a tension or torsion catapult thus driving him to a heroic death. A short history of the evolution of catapults from the early 4th to the early 3rd century is added in order to help understand the effects of the kinetic energy/ballistics of projectiles compared to that of common arrowheads. Projectiles found lately in other sites in Central Macedonia and dating to the same time period are interpreted as bolt heads. Finally, the authors postulate that the death of the Leukopetra man was most probably due to a deadly chest trauma caused by a catapulted oxybelos.

• History and Archaeology

• Αρχαιολογία

ανθρώπινα λείψανα, αρχαία όπλα, Ημαθία, συνέδρια

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