Ancient & Medieval Weapons
Ancient Medieval Weapons List is a structured history dataset with 15 entries. Its fields include Weapon, Origin, Era. Community voting appears as a separate signal beside eligible rows and does not replace the source values.
Every row is shown below and is also available as CSV, JSON, or Excel.
Dataset details
- Table scope
- All 15 rows
- Fields
- 5 columns
- Source
- Various
- Data updated
- Mar 6, 2026
Included fields: Weapon, Origin, Era, Type, Known For.
The table contains every record in this dataset; the same records are available in each download format.
Preview observations
- Origin groups
- 11 distinct values
- Across 15 preview rows
Useful for
- Comparing Weapon, Origin, and Era across history entries
- Building reference tables, charts, or analyses from 15 downloadable records
Weapon↕ | Origin↕ | Era↕ | Type↕ | Known For↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Katana | Japan | 1400s+ | Sword (curved, single-edge) | Samurai soul, folded steel, curved blade for mounted combat, Kill Bill, most romanticized sword ever |
Longsword | Europe | 1300-1550 | Sword (straight, double-edge) | Knight's weapon, versatile (cut, thrust, half-sword), HEMA revival, Witcher's steel sword, cruciform hilt |
Longbow | England / Wales | 1200-1600 | Ranged (bow) | Won Agincourt and Crécy, 6-foot draw, English archers feared, 10 arrows per minute, armor-piercing bodkins |
Gladius | Rome | 300 BCE-300 CE | Sword (short, stabbing) | Roman legionary standard weapon, short for formation fighting, conquered the known world, gladiator namesake |
Trebuchet | China → Europe | 1100-1500 | Siege engine | Superior to catapult (counterweight), 300m range, hurled 90kg projectiles, castle breaker, internet memes |
Viking Axe | Scandinavia | 800-1100 | Axe (one or two-handed) | Dane axe could split shields, cheaper than swords, Viking raider weapon, versatile (tool + weapon) |
Crossbow | China → Europe | 500 BCE+ | Ranged (mechanical bow) | Democratized ranged combat (less training than bow), banned by Pope (against Christians), armor-piercing bolts |
Spear | Global (oldest weapon) | 400,000 BCE+ | Polearm | Most important weapon in history, every culture used them, phalanx formation, cheap and effective, reach advantage |
Halberd | Switzerland | 1300-1600 | Polearm (axe + spike + hook) | Swiss pikemen weapon, versatile (chop, stab, pull riders off horses), guard weapon, elegant brutality |
Composite Bow | Central Asian steppes | 2000 BCE+ | Ranged (reflex bow) | Mongol empire weapon, horseback archery, compact but powerful, sinew + horn + wood layers, devastating |
Mace | Global | Ancient-Medieval | Bludgeon | Beat armored knights, doesn't need edge maintenance, bishops used maces (no blood technically), skull crusher |
War Hammer | Europe | 1400-1600 | Bludgeon / Piercing | Designed specifically to defeat plate armor, spike side punctures, hammer side concusses, Robert Baratheon |
Naginata | Japan | 1000+ | Polearm (glaive) | Japanese warrior monks' weapon, women's self-defense weapon, curved blade on pole, elegant slashing |
Flail | Europe | 1300-1500 | Bludgeon (chain) | Dramatic swinging chain + spiked ball, actually rare historically, very hard to use, Hollywood favorite |
Greek Fire | Byzantine Empire | 672+ | Incendiary | Ancient napalm, burned on water, recipe lost to history, saved Constantinople multiple times, terrifying |
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Frequently asked questions
How is Ancient & Medieval Weapons organized?
The table starts in the source data's order. Community voting is enabled as a separate approval signal beside eligible rows; votes do not replace the source values.
How much data is available on this page?
This dataset contains 15 entries, and every row is available in the table and in the downloadable files.
Can I download the complete dataset?
Yes. CSV, JSON, and Excel downloads contain all 15 rows. Before republishing the data, review the source and any usage terms listed on this page; dtbse does not replace the original source's licensing terms.
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