A fully equipped Roman legionary (after the reforms of Gaius Marius) was armed with a shield (scutum), one or two javelins (pilau), a sword (Gladius), often a dagger (pugio), and, perhaps in the later empire period, darts (plumbatae). Conventionally, soldiers threw javelins to disable the enemy's shields and disrupt enemy formations before engaging in close combat, for which they drew the Gladius. All Gladius types appear to have been suitable for cutting and chopping as well as thrusting.