Mace

A mace is a type of blunt weapon that consists of a heavy head at the end of a rod. Depending on the design, the head may be flanged or spiked to ensure greater lethality.

Description
A more advanced form of the club, the mace is characterized by a heavy head—often roughly spherical—planted atop a rod. Although longer than that of a one-handed sword grip, the design of a mace ensures that it is most effectively wielded in one hand unless it were a long mace. Like any club, wounds are inflicted primarily through crushing blows rather than through thrusting or slashing. However, in many designs, the head is flanged or spiked to ensure that beyond blunt force trauma only, targets may also be pierced or lacerated by the impact of sharp edges. If spiked, the mace is more specifically known as a morningstar. In contrast to clubs, maces are generally forged from metal rather than fashioned from wood and are fairly capable of parrying against the strikes of bladed weapons.

History
In the 12th century, the Sultan of Egypt and Syria, Saladin, equipped some of the infantry in his army with maces. His macemen were deployed alongside other soldiers during his assault on the Assassin Brotherhood's stronghold of Masyaf in 1176.

In Europe, maces were commonly utilized by mercenary and state armies alike throughout the Renaissance. Guards in cities such as Florence, Venice, and Rome were just as likely to be serviced with maces as they were with swords. The Ottoman Empire also heavily employed the weapon. Although they were becoming obsolete by the 18th century, maces were still present in Parisian markets at the time of the French Revolution.

Appearances

 * Assassin's Creed II
 * Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
 * Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade
 * Assassin's Creed: Revelations
 * Assassin's Creed: Unity