Throwing the spear

[Robert Bertram]

I am very new to the study of western martial arts and I have no manuels available to me on using the spear.

Did historical manuels ever teach on throwing your spear at an opponent?

Was it uncommon for soldiers to have thrown their spears and used a sword or a dagger instead?

[Cooper Braun]

Talhoffer's manual shows the throwing of the spears as the beginning moves in an armored judicial dual. One form of judicial duel at the time specified that each man might enter the lists with a dagger, a sword, and a spear (later the sword was replaced buy the poll axe). It was customary to throw the spear first and (hopefully) use it a a distraction to close with the opponent. Because duels were fought in full harness a thrown spear had little chance of doing serious damage (except against an open visor).

As for manuals with spear fighting in them, this is a bit of a hobby for me. Currently what I know of and posses are.

Talhoffer has a couple of plates on armored spear throwing.
Liechtenaurer and Ringeck have a section on armored spear vs spear, and armored sword vs spear.
Fiore has a full section on fighting with the spear (mostly vs spear, but a few others).
Paulus Hector Mair has a huge section on short staff and long staff (which are short and long spear as well), and is available in a wonderful book by two ARMA members, David Knight and Brian Hunt.
George Silver has a nice bit about staff fighting (his favorite weapon) that works equally well for spear.

So in answer to your final question, it depended on the circumstances. In a dual, throwing the spear was very very common.
As for soldiers on foot, well if (like the Romans) they were issued javelins, then certainly yes, as it was part of their battle tactics. Here we get into the difference between short and long spears (one and two handed respectively). If you have good swords and also have a javelin or short spear, the throw before the charge is quite common. But if you have a long spear or only a spear and shield, Your spear is your weapon and you would be silly to throw it away.

[Stacy Clifford]

Joseph Swetnam's instructions on staff are a bit more readily applicable to spear than Silver's due to Swetnam's greater emphasis on thrusting. Start with Swetnam to get the basics of English staff and then go to Silver for additional insight.

[Craig Peters]

I am very new to the study of western martial arts and I have no manuels available to me on using the spear.

Did historical manuels ever teach on throwing your spear at an opponent?

Was it uncommon for soldiers to have thrown their spears and used a sword or a dagger instead?

I think one of the reasons that it's not covered much in manuals is that there's not a whole lot to say on it. It essentially works out to:

1) Throw the spear with as much force as possible while maintaining a good trajectory and an accurate throw.

2) Hope that you hit your opponent, causing injury, or at least distract him long enough to let you close and take him with your sword.

Aside from these points, what else is there to say?

[Robert Bertram]

I am very new to the study of western martial arts and I have no manuels available to me on using the spear.

Did historical manuels ever teach on throwing your spear at an opponent?

Was it uncommon for soldiers to have thrown their spears and used a sword or a dagger instead?

I think one of the reasons that it's not covered much in manuals is that there's not a whole lot to say on it. It essentially works out to:

1) Throw the spear with as much force as possible while maintaining a good trajectory and an accurate throw.

2) Hope that you hit your opponent, causing injury, or at least distract him long enough to let you close and take him with your sword.

Aside from these points, what else is there to say?

Right, I was just curious if it was common for someone to throw a spear- if a manuel would have mentioned it, then that would give me my answer is why I asked.

Anyways, in reply to your statements, manuels might have tought on good technique when throwing a spear because I'm sure there is a right way to do it.

[Keith Culbertson]

welcome Robert, I enjoy throwing my light leaf-blade viking-era spear, it just takes lots of practice. try both direct short range at boxes/bales/ets, and indirect medium range at circles on the ground for starters. eventually you might look to try and use something like a leather thong like the Romans and Greeks sometimes had. In fact, the best resource I can think of for images of warriors about to throw a spear and after throwing one would be ancient potteryware art.

have fun, but watch out for amazingly oblivious people

[Craig Peters]

Anyways, in reply to your statements, manuels might have tought on good technique when throwing a spear because I'm sure there is a right way to do it.

I think this is one of those things that simply needs to be practiced. It's along the lines of the fact that none of the masters, to my knowledge, gave specific instructions on the mechanics of cutting with a sword.