02-16-2017, 03:30 PM
I think Vegetius was copying from a Late Republic treatise when he said that infantry didn't cut, only thrust. But Vegetius also mentions them training to cut the hamstrings. Polybius describes the gladius hispaniensis as a quality cut and thrust sword. Its point of balance was definitely suited to cutting. Thrusts work well against targets like the face, neck, torso, groin. But cuts are better for going after the side of head and extremities/limbs. The very standardized sword training that started when gladiator lannista began training Roman soldiers, that probably saw the big shift in style, where they focused more on killing blows with quick and accurate thrusts, taught to be used in conjuntion with scutum attacks, like a boxing convocation, but surely cuts were still used. Just not for delivering mortal blows.
But that's all infantry focused. For cavalry, cutting is going to be the primary method to use a sword. Thrusting works well when the mount is still, but when riding past the victim the blade can catch on bone and the rider might have to either let go of his sword or else lose his seat as he holds on tight to the grip willing riding past his victim. At this time, its very unlikely Roman had access to horned saddles (a hundred years off), so the only thing keeping them in their seat is leg power gripping the horse's barrel.
Xenophon describes the kopis as the preferred cavalry sword, as it was better for cutting. La Tene III swords were long bladed and some had no sharpened points, in the Gallic tribes the nobleman and warrior (primary sword user) were first and foremost horsemen. No doubt it wasn't different with Roman Equites, they got their Glad. Hisp. during service in the 2nd Punic War, and then used them to great effect cutting at targets in that small skirmish with the Macedonians during the 2nd Macedonian War.
But that's all infantry focused. For cavalry, cutting is going to be the primary method to use a sword. Thrusting works well when the mount is still, but when riding past the victim the blade can catch on bone and the rider might have to either let go of his sword or else lose his seat as he holds on tight to the grip willing riding past his victim. At this time, its very unlikely Roman had access to horned saddles (a hundred years off), so the only thing keeping them in their seat is leg power gripping the horse's barrel.
Xenophon describes the kopis as the preferred cavalry sword, as it was better for cutting. La Tene III swords were long bladed and some had no sharpened points, in the Gallic tribes the nobleman and warrior (primary sword user) were first and foremost horsemen. No doubt it wasn't different with Roman Equites, they got their Glad. Hisp. during service in the 2nd Punic War, and then used them to great effect cutting at targets in that small skirmish with the Macedonians during the 2nd Macedonian War.
