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Much of the confusion in separating the history of man from the history of the visiting hominoids from the 12th Planet lies in cross-culture adoption. The garb of Roman soldiers, with strips of leather forming a short skirt, fluid during activity yet modest in repose, did not evolve from human cultures but was adopted by humans in ancient times from the garb of 12th Planet soldiers sent to guard human slaves. Likewise, the giant hominoids visiting from the 12th Planet learned to adopt human practices where this proved most effective. While coming from a world that had mastered space shuttles and technologies such as nuclear bombs and lasers, they were nonetheless at an outpost for an extended period of time, thousands of years, and did not have unlimited stores. They used these sparingly, hoarding resources that they required for liftoff and directing their shuttles or to win desperate battles.
Like a geology team sent into the wild, they were without the capacity to manufacture replacements for what they consumed. This technology breach widened as the years between the 12th Planet’s return passed, as one generation would die without passing all they had learned on their home planet along to the next generation. Thus the normal day-to-day operation of the mines, which involved skewering and slashing rebellious slaves and repelling large carnivores, were conducted with primitive weapons such as swords and spears. Likewise, when tired of amusing themselves with female slaves or athletic prowess, the soldiers among them went hunting with the same tools their human slaves might use - a javelin or bow and arrow.