Armour, arms

I. In OT. The Heb. neaitat equivalent to ' armour ' is maddim (on? 1 S 17**), rendered ' clothes ' in 1 S 4"^ (a fugitive arrives from the battle ' with his clothes rent'). It is a plural word signifying the different parts of a soldier's dress. The coat of mail, shinjOn {\\'J9), would be chiefly meant, but the helmet and shield and the loose cloak, simlah (n^ov Is 9"), are in- cluded. Ehud (Jg 3") wears a dagger under his maddim, i.e. between the shiryOn and the simiah. The Heb.

nearest equivalent for ' arms ' is kilim (d'Vj), a word of general significance, 'more- able property, instruments of any kind, arms,' in- cluding the quiver (Gn 27^), and probably the shield (hence the common phrase, ' bearer of kilim,' i.e. armour-bearer). A third word rendered ' armour ' is hdltzah (n^'^q 2 S 2-'). It describes the equipment of a soldier which an adversary would strip off as spoils, and is rendered (in the plural) 'spoil' in Jir 14"' (AVandKV). 11.

With regard to armour and arms in use it NT times among the Romans, two passages, one from Polybius (c. 167 B.C.) the other from Josephus (c. 7U A.D.), may be left in an abridged tr. to speak for themselves, and to illustrate the language of St. Paul (esp. Eph 6"""). Polvb. vi. 23 : (a) ' The Roman panoply consists in the first place of a shield (di/peds), the breadth of which, measured by the arc which it forms, is 2i ft. and the lengtn is 4 ft., while the depth (thickness) reaches 3 inches .

. And there is fitted to it an iron boss which wards ofl" great blows from stones and from pikes, and in general from darts though hurled with violence. (6) And along with the shield is a sword {(juixaipa) ; now this a man wears on hia right thigh, and it is called the Spanish sword. And this has an excellent point ; and a powerful cut can be delivered with both its edges, because the blade is strong and durable, (c) Next come two javelins (i.e.

the pUa), and {d) a bronze helmet (jrepi(C€0a\aia), and (e) a greave * (N.li. sing.) And in addition to aU this they are adorned with a crown of feathers and with three upright purple- red or black feathers about a cubit in length, so that when these are added to the crest the soldier in full armour appears to be double his own height. . (/) Now the majority when they have further put on a bronze plate, measuring a span every way, • It was worn on the right leg (Vegetius, bk. t c. 20). AKMOUK.

BEAKER ARMY 155 which they wear on their chests and call a heart- guard {Kapoio(piJ\ai), are completely armed ; but those citizens who are assessed at more than 1U,000 dxachniie wear, together with the other arms mentioned, cuirasses made of chain-mail.' Josephus, £J Ul. V. 5 (vol. iii. p. 236 of Bekker's edition) : ' Now the infantry are armed with cuirasses {du/iai) and helmets (Kpdoos), and wear swords {^jLax<^p<^^op^f*') on both sides.

But the sword {il<poj) worn on the left is much the longer of them, for that on tlie right is not more than a span in length. And the infantry escort of the general carry lance (XAtxij) and buckler (dffirls), but the rest of the array a spear (Juirrij-) and a shield {Svfye6$), and in addition to these a saw and a basket, a mattock and an axe, and further a thong, and a reaping-hook {dp^Tavov), and a chain, and three days' provisions, so that the infantry are little short of beasts of burden.

And the cavalry have a long sword {nixa'P"^) on the right side, and a long lance (iton-is) in the hand, and a shield (6vpe6s) held slantwise by the side of the horse. And from a quiver (xard yapwoO) hang three or more darts (dnoi') having broad points, and in size little less than spears {Sipv) ; and all have helmets and cuirasses like the infantry.' LmoLATURS.— (a) For OT, Nowack, H«6. Arch. (1894), pp.

S62- 8^, ftnd Bliss, A Mound o/ Many Citieg, 1894 (Illustrations of weapons found at Tell el-Hesy, \.e. Lacbish). (i)) For NT, Polyblus, vi. 23 ; Josephus, BJ iii. 6, and Liiidenschmit, Tracht und Bewa^ung da Romischen Ileera wdArvnd d£r Kauerzeii, Braunschweig, 1882. W. E. Barnes. ARMOUR-BEiRER.— The office is mentioned in very early times in connexion with Abimelech (Jg 9*) and Saul (1 S 31).

An armour-bearer's functions were various ; he slew those whom his chief struck down (1 S 14"); he carried the great shield (zinnn/i) in front of a champion to protect him from treacherous arrows (1 S 17', and Homer, II. iii. 79, 80) ; or, again, he collected arrows aimed against his chief for his chief to discharge again. This last function was executed by Mohammed when a lad in attendance upon his uncles (Ibn Hisham, p. 119, 1. 1, quoted by \V. R. Smith, OTJC p. 431). W. E. Barnes.