Although its power was great, the crossbow was clumsy and had a slow rate of fire which made it difficult to handle on the battlefield. The bolts on the other hand were shot much farther, faster, and more accurate than the common bow. This made the cross bow essential when fired from a fixed position in a tower or other structure. The crossbow proved it self worthy when "the Norman army used them to defeat the Saxons in the Battle of Hastings in 1666" (4). .
The Bronze Age brought a whole new array of weapons to the battlefield. "Copper was the first non precious metal that man learned how to work" (5). Although copper was not effective for body armor or weapons, it was the combination of copper and tin that produced bronze, "the metal of Conquerors" (5). The Bronze Age, which was roughly between 2500-1000 B.C., introduced a new chapter in weaponry. It was able to be cast into any shaped using molds. This led to an easier way to make spearheads, arrow heads, and battle axes. The Iron Age helped already made weapons even stronger. "Iron was even stronger and harder than bronze" (6). It was much better for military needs. One of the most person weapons was the dagger. "It was much like a knife, and is found in almost all cultures" (6). Examples are the Gurkha kukri of Nepal, the Malayan kris, the Japanese tanto, and the Bornese kurong. The spear is one of the earliest and simplest of weapons. The primitive weapon was made of a wooden shaft tipped with a sharpened point. "The medieval lance and pike evolved from the ancient spear. The pike was a long wooden shaft with a steel point and an optional hook on the side" (6). When bronze knives grew longer and narrower, they became a new weapon known as the sword. It was a symbol of justice, peace, the state, and even magic. "In both legend and history, famous warriors have possessed swords with extraordinary powers" (7). It was a simple weapon consisting of a sharp blade ending in a hilt, cross guard, and pommel.