The "Myth" of the "Dacian Falx" as a super weapon

[Olaf]

The cuvate (inward or outward) of a weapon does provide more cutting leverage then a straight blade against soft targets, but hardly improves penetration against armor in any kind.
The "beak" at the point of the falx might actually help in penetrating a helmet or shoulder armor, but you have to keep in mind how near you would have to be to your adversary to actually reach that far with a weapon that has such a short handle.
My Falx is about 1m in length overal, with about 60cm of this length being the blade - not measuring the curvate:

Though I am the first to admit taht this si not an accurate replica of any blade found, it is meant to be an approximation of the Falxes depicted on the Adamklissi monument. Actually the first thing I might change would be to lengthen the grip to a length shown in the picture on first page of this thread.
Still it is claer from the surviving blades and the depictions of the flax, that it was not a polearm, so it was not suitable to fighting an opponent at more then arms length.
And here the next weakness of this weapon is quite obvious as we also see in the drawing posted here.
The Falx, especially those with a highly pronounced curvate, can not be used to thrust or stab an opponent. Slashing with a weapon however makes it neccessary to fight in a very open formation so you do not hit your own people and also takes a lot more time to carry out and recover from.
Romans new this weakness, as we know they were trained to stab rather then slash with the Gladius.
So if we take the drawing as a battlefield scene - which it is not, unless those falxwielders are uterly desperate or suicidal - the right and left falx wielders are dead from a simple straight thrust of their romans opponents in the next few milliseconds. The middel one might have actually managed to wound or unbalance his opponent slightly, but if his weapon is now stuck in the Scutum so he know has no way of defending or attacking anymore. The wounded Roman would most probaly drop his shield making it even more difficult for the falxwielder to get his weapon out of it while the next Roman in line would just step forward and deliver the killing blow.

Still I do not doubt that the Romans did consider the Falx as an exotic weapon, as the would not feature in on a Thropheum - a dedication to the gods of victory and war - otherwise.