Mace

A mace is a hand weapon with a short handle and a heavy head made of stone or metal.

Before people learned to make strong metal weapons, soldiers used the mace in close combat. They swung it like a hammer to strike an enemy. The heavy head had to be firmly attached to the wooden handle so that it would not fly off or break.

The handle was wider where the soldier held it and became narrower near the head. This shape helped prevent the weapon from slipping. A soldier could carry the mace in one hand or attach it to the wrist with a loop.

The mace was one of the oldest weapons. Ancient symbols for fighting sometimes show a hand holding a mace and a shield. From about 3500 to 2500 BC, the mace was a main weapon in personal combat. It was especially effective before soldiers began wearing helmets.

Even after people stopped using the mace in battle, it remained a symbol of the authority of a king or a god (compare Psalm 2:9).

See also Armor and Weapons.