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+--- Thread: Secondary sidearm for 4th century centurion (/showthread.php?tid=21162)
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Secondary sidearm for 4th century centurion - M. Val. Naso - 08-04-2012
Hi there!
I'm reenacting a late 4th century centurion, and I was wondering if I could use another sidearm besides my spatha.
Pugio - explicitly mentioned, that no findings afte 3rd century, so no.
Culter/cultellus - I have pictures of findings, and I could make one, but I'm not really sure. It is perceived more as a tool than a weapon (but still, dolabra and bipennis/securis is a tool also).
Semispatha - might be a bit too large, I've seen a 60 cm finding, that's waaaay too long.
What do you think? Do you have any other ideas?
Re: Secondary sidearm for 4th century centurion - markusaurelius - 08-04-2012
How about a knife? Like the ones found at Lankhill, that have a blade length of between 12-14cm, with about a 4-5cm width?
Re: Secondary sidearm for 4th century centurion - Gaius Julius Caesar - 08-04-2012
A semi spatha would be ok.
There is also a knife or two tha tcould be used.
i have one from Erik konig based on finds over quite a long stretch,
that could be acceptable.
Re: Secondary sidearm for 4th century centurion - Ammianus - 08-05-2012
There are plenty of options. Remember that the Late army were largely missile based. A couple of spicula or veruta could do the job, or a francisca. Maybe even some plumbata...just in case!
Re: Secondary sidearm for 4th century centurion - Semisalis Abruna - 08-06-2012
A couple of us in the Batavi carry francisca axes as a second sidearm. Useful close in, for throwing & as eating axes
Re: Secondary sidearm for 4th century centurion - Gaius Julius Caesar - 08-06-2012
I have a couple as well. I still think some form of dagger/knife is a good option too.
You can never have too many weapons!
Re: Secondary sidearm for 4th century centurion - M. Val. Naso - 08-07-2012
Thanks for the fast answers, guys. I'm trying to decide between francisca (though I can find no sources before early 5th cent.), and a knife.
Re: Secondary sidearm for 4th century centurion - Gaius Julius Caesar - 08-07-2012
Go for a knife. A francisca is harder to provenance I recall. More a reenactorism, but still fun to chuck at things. You would still have a knife after the axe was launched though.
Re: Secondary sidearm for 4th century centurion - M. Val. Naso - 08-07-2012
The francisca is a matter of money for me, which is the hard part, since I'm a student. I'll go with the knife for now, I've got some pretty badass pictures of findings. Though I might buy an axe for the next season. Would be amazing if before the clash I could throw it in the gepid line's face :twisted: .
Still it is interesting, how they've drawn the bipennis/securis for the Fabricae part in the NotDig, as a "standard" weapon. Though we have a katzbälger there too, I reckon that would be a semi-spatha.
Re: Secondary sidearm for 4th century centurion - Robert Vermaat - 08-07-2012
Pugios do reappear in the 4th century, so you might still go for that.
Myself I use a large knife found locally in a grave from this period.
Re: Secondary sidearm for 4th century centurion - Gaius Julius Caesar - 08-08-2012
Quote:Pugios do reappear in the 4th century, so you might still go for that.
.
Oh yes? do enlighten me!!! :grin:
Re: Secondary sidearm for 4th century centurion - Robert Vermaat - 08-09-2012
Quote:My mistake, they reappear during the 3rd century of course. I guess I was thinking of other knives and daggers and got my centuries mixed up.Robert Vermaat post=317845 Wrote:Pugios do reappear in the 4th century, so you might still go for that.Oh yes? do enlighten me!!! :grin:
Having said that, it seems that other 3rd c. weapons continued in use during the 4th century, the Roman army did not decommission arms or armour when new styles were introduced.
Re: Secondary sidearm for 4th century centurion - Robert Vermaat - 08-10-2012
How about this one? (thanks Juan):
Late Roman 'Thekenbeschlag' knives:
http://epa.oszk.hu/02000/02007/00030/pdf/EPA2007_bp_regisegei_27_1991_045-063.pdf.
Re: Secondary sidearm for 4th century centurion - Medicus matt - 08-10-2012
Quote:My mistake, they reappear during the 3rd century of course. I guess I was thinking of other knives and daggers and got my centuries mixed up.
Thought so.
What about those rather wicked Iberian 'skinning knives' with the fancy openwork sheaths? They're very nice.
I think it's either that or the typical 'Gallo-Roman' style of knife you see at Lankhills, Abbeville, Voerendaal etc...
Re: Secondary sidearm for 4th century centurion - Robert Vermaat - 08-10-2012
Quote:What about those rather wicked Iberian 'skinning knives' with the fancy openwork sheaths? They're very nice.Absolutely. I'll try later to dig up a nice picture of that one. they are worn only very local though, so you'd have to take care which impression you would want to do. I don't think it would suit a centenarius on the Rhine or in the East. Perhaps not even outside Spain.