History is aware of the high level of training, the perfection of logistics and tactics of the legionnaires of the Roman Empire. Equally important in achieving the success of many military campaigns of ancient Rome was the quality of the equipment of his army. One of the most common types of weapons at that time, which was equipped with its personnel, was the Roman sword.
Manufacturing technology
The Roman sword, in comparison with the similar Celtic, is considered more durable. During forging, all the rules of blacksmithing were observed: composite steel was homogenized using multilayer beating and hardening. Blacksmiths also used the holiday procedure.
Materials
Ancient masters engaged in the production of a variety of pricking and cutting weapons had a clear idea of what a high-quality Roman sword should be like. In their opinion, this type of weapon should have a soft core and be as hard as possible outside. For this, the blacksmiths of the Roman Empire used composite steel: it consisted of soft and hard grades. Skillfully collecting various steel strips and alternating them in softness and hardness, the masters eventually created a very high-quality Roman sword. The photo below represents the manufacturing process of ancient weapons these days.
What were the shortcomings in the production of offensive weapons?
In the blacksmithing of the Roman Empire there was a lack of consistency. This is because the masters did not possess the necessary knowledge and were guided mainly by empirical observations. The forging process at the beginning of our era did not include engineering elements.
And yet, despite the large number of rejected products, the blacksmiths of ancient Rome made very high-quality samples of swords. After the fall of the empire, the technology by which the Roman sword was created was borrowed by other peoples and used for a long time.
Gladius: a story
Gladius is the famous infantry sword of the emperor Tiberius. The sword began to be used by soldiers of the Roman Empire in the 3rd century. BC e.
Sometimes it is also called “Gladius from Mainz” (a city in Germany, the birthplace of this weapon).
Conclusions on what the Roman sword looks like have made it possible to make archaeological work carried out in the area.
In the nineteenth century, the construction of the railway was carried out on the territory of Mainz. During work, it turned out that the rails were laid in the territory hidden in the land of ancient Roman military bases. During the excavation, a rusty sword was found in an expensive scabbard.
Characteristics
Let's get acquainted with the main characteristics of this weapon:
- blade length is 57.5 cm;
- width - 7 cm;
- thickness - 40 mm;
- the size of the sword is 70 cm;
- weight - 8 kg.
What does a Roman sword look like?
The photo below shows the appearance of the offensive weapons.
This product is equipped with a double-edged blade and reinforced with a stiffener. Closer to the tip there is a smooth narrowing of the blade. The handle has a ribbed shape and contains special recesses for the fingers, which provides a convenient and reliable retention of weapons during the battle. The massive spherical top located on the handle is used by the warrior as a support when pulling the blade out of the enemy’s body.
A hemispherical, flattened lateral guard prevents possible slippage of the hand when stabbing. The Gladius sword is centered in such a way that all the weight is located near the hilt. This made it possible for legionnaires to easily control them during fencing. Gladius is a very effective weapon in stabbing and chopping strikes.
What is depicted on the sheath?
Historians suggest that Gladius is an award-winning sword. The owner of this weapon is one of the legionnaire commanders, and not Tiberius himself. But the name of the product was fixed to it because of the scabbard on which the founder of Rome, the emperor Octavian Augustus and Tiberius, dressed in armor, was seated on a throne. In addition to the rulers of the Roman Empire, the scabbard depicts the god of war Mars and the goddess of victory Victoria, who in Greek mythology had the name Nick. In the middle of the scabbard in the form of decoration was a round plaque with a portrait of Tiberius. Underneath is a skillfully crafted shackle in the form of a laurel wreath.
