The overhand spear cavalry are meant as melee cavalry, not as chargers like underhand spears are. They are generally average in melee but suffer when subjected to other ap cavalry attacks. They are generally not worth the price they have uses against lightly armed troops such as skirmishers with their higher spear attack.

The statting system for weapons is not perfect. It tries to represent the various types of weapons and what they would be most effective against. The gladius has low lethality but a relatively high attack compared with the longsword. What this strives to mean is that it is easier to land a blow with a gladius' quick strikes, but generally speaking, a large Celtic sword whirled about the head to gain momentum, and brought crashing down on an enemy was deadlier. This is of course all relative as a quick gladius strike to the abdomen would be just as deadly but I think the longsword can not only cut, but crush, and if well made could potentially stab as well.