Post by Daubee on Mar 13, 2008 1:29:51 GMT -5
A trident is a three-pronged staff or leg. The French word's origin is from Latin tridens or tridentis, from tri "three" and dentes "teeth." It was used by both spear-fishermen and military forces. As a hunting tool, it was used for its ability to skewer multiple fish at a time. As a weapon, it was prized for its long reach and ability to trap other long-weapons between prongs to disarm their wielder. Tridents were also famously used by the retiarii, Roman gladiators who used a net to wrap their adversary and a trident to kill him.
A military fork is a pole weapon, which was used in war in Europe between the 15th and 19th centuries. Like many pole arms, the military fork traces its lineage to an agricultural tool, in this case the pitchfork. Unlike a trident used for fishing, the military fork was rarely barbed and normally only consisted of two tines (prongs) which were straight compared to the original pitchfork. The pair of tines usually ran parallel or slightly flared. In certain parts of Europe, this became the favored pole arm, especially during castle sieges. A fork could be used to dismount a rider, but it could also help in building siege ladders and in raising supplies to ramparts. Italy, France, and Germany were particularly known for the use of military forks.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_fork
Symbolic use
Parallel to its fishing origins, the trident is associated with the Greek god Poseidon, the god of the sea in Greek mythology, the Roman god Neptune, and Shiva, a Hindu god. In Greek myth, Poseidon used his trident to create water sources in Greece and the horse (by striking a camel). Poseidon, as well as being god of the sea, was also known as the "Earth Shaker" when he struck the earth in anger he caused mighty earthquakes and he used his trident to stir up tidal waves, tsunamis and sea storms. In Roman myth, Neptune also used a trident to create new bodies of water and cause earthquakes.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trident
Roman Gladiators that fought with trident and net.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secutores
Secutores, this kind of fighter, specifically developed to fight the Retiarius, was a variant of the Murmillo, and wore the same armour, and weapons, including the tall rectangular shield, and the gladius. His helmet, however, covered the entire face with the exception of two small eyeholes in order to protect his face from the thin prongs of the trident of his opponent. The helmet was almost round and smooth so that the retiarius net could not get a grip on it.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secutores
Retiarii (net fighter): Developed in the early Augustan era, the retiarius carried a trident, a dagger, and a net. Except for a loincloth held in place by a wide belt (balteus) and a larger arm guard (manica) extending to the shoulder and left side of the chest the Retiarius fought naked and without the protection of a helmet. Occasionally a metal shoulder shield (galerus) was added to protect the neck and lower face. There appears to have been an effeminate class of Retiarius (retiarius tunicatus) that wore tunics to distinguish them from the usual Retiarius, Retiarii usually always fought Secutores but sometimes Murmillones.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retiarius
A military fork is a pole weapon, which was used in war in Europe between the 15th and 19th centuries. Like many pole arms, the military fork traces its lineage to an agricultural tool, in this case the pitchfork. Unlike a trident used for fishing, the military fork was rarely barbed and normally only consisted of two tines (prongs) which were straight compared to the original pitchfork. The pair of tines usually ran parallel or slightly flared. In certain parts of Europe, this became the favored pole arm, especially during castle sieges. A fork could be used to dismount a rider, but it could also help in building siege ladders and in raising supplies to ramparts. Italy, France, and Germany were particularly known for the use of military forks.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_fork
Symbolic use
Parallel to its fishing origins, the trident is associated with the Greek god Poseidon, the god of the sea in Greek mythology, the Roman god Neptune, and Shiva, a Hindu god. In Greek myth, Poseidon used his trident to create water sources in Greece and the horse (by striking a camel). Poseidon, as well as being god of the sea, was also known as the "Earth Shaker" when he struck the earth in anger he caused mighty earthquakes and he used his trident to stir up tidal waves, tsunamis and sea storms. In Roman myth, Neptune also used a trident to create new bodies of water and cause earthquakes.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trident
Roman Gladiators that fought with trident and net.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secutores
Secutores, this kind of fighter, specifically developed to fight the Retiarius, was a variant of the Murmillo, and wore the same armour, and weapons, including the tall rectangular shield, and the gladius. His helmet, however, covered the entire face with the exception of two small eyeholes in order to protect his face from the thin prongs of the trident of his opponent. The helmet was almost round and smooth so that the retiarius net could not get a grip on it.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secutores
Retiarii (net fighter): Developed in the early Augustan era, the retiarius carried a trident, a dagger, and a net. Except for a loincloth held in place by a wide belt (balteus) and a larger arm guard (manica) extending to the shoulder and left side of the chest the Retiarius fought naked and without the protection of a helmet. Occasionally a metal shoulder shield (galerus) was added to protect the neck and lower face. There appears to have been an effeminate class of Retiarius (retiarius tunicatus) that wore tunics to distinguish them from the usual Retiarius, Retiarii usually always fought Secutores but sometimes Murmillones.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retiarius