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Plumbatae or martiobarbuli were lead-weighted carried by in Ancient history and the Middle Ages. They were used to inflict damage on enemies at a distance before engaging in Melee. Roman soldiers in some Roman legion carried plumbatae inside their shields, which allowed them to have ranged weapons similar to arrows, according to Vegetius in his 4th-century military treatise De re militari.
The plumbata consisted of a lead-weighted head attached to a wooden shaft with fletching, which allowed soldiers to throw them effectively over long distances. The Roman work De rebus bellicis and the Byzantine manual of war Strategicon, confirm their use and describe variations, such as the spiked plumbatae ( plumbata tribolata). Archaeological finds in Wroxeter and elsewhere confirm their description and use.
A second source, also from the late 4th century, is an Anonymous work treatise titled De rebus bellicis, which briefly discusses (so far archaeologically unattested) spiked plumbatae ( plumbata tribolata), but which is also the only source that shows an image of what a plumbata looked like. The image shows what looks like a short arrow with a weight attached to the shaft. Although only later copies of the original manuscript exist, this is confirmed by the remains which have so far turned up in the archaeological record.
A third source is the late 6th century Strategicon, written by the Byzantine Empire emperor Maurice, who wrote about the martzobarboulon, a corruption of its Latin name martiobarbulum.
Plumbatae etymologically contain plumbum, or lead, and can be translated "lead-weighted darts". Martiobarbuli in this translation is mattiobarbuli in the Latin, which is most likely an assimilation of Martio-barbuli, "little barbs of Mars". The barb implied a barbed head, and Mars was the god of war (among other things).
Archaeology gives a clearer picture of martiobarbuli. The reference listed has an illustration of a find from Wroxeter identified as the head of a plumbata and a reconstruction of the complete weapon: a Fletching dart with an iron head weighted with lead. The reconstruction seems entirely consistent with Vegetius' description.
War darts were also used in Europe later in the Middle Ages.
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