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Possible Mainz Gladius - Printable Version

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Possible Mainz Gladius - Conal - 09-14-2006

Scroll down a bit ..what do you think ?

http://www.iphpbb.com/foren-archiv/3/14 ... 3-204.html


Re: Possible Mainz Gladius - stevesarak - 09-14-2006

It looks like it could be, but you have to be careful with corroded swords. A lot of times only part of the thin sharp edges and a little beyond will corrode away on the blade, this can give the appearance of the blade tapering inwards when in fact it doesn’t. I don’t know about this blade but it is possible that the tapering in due to corrosion of the side.

The angle of the blade does look uniform on both sides so I’d like to think it’s a Mainz.


Re: Possible Mainz Gladius - stevesarak - 09-14-2006

Here's a translation, it looks like it is a Mains.
"Gekrumpelte" is a Celtic Spatha from prechristian time. Exists of Raffinierstahl. They have we believe I also schonmal here in the forum shown. In memory: after demise of the owner the blades were dehumanized (heated until red-hot) and bent to take away them from the access of the hunchbacked relationship.
The blade is feathery, I believe thus about 600 gs, sure.

On the right of it a typical top ingot, thus steel as a commodity. The steel was forged in this form to prove that it is " a material capable of weapons ". Since only if a long point lets itself ausschmieden, one can also do, e.g., swords from it.

Three upper points of the left fissure are crossbow bolts. These monsters strained quite a lot of armament.
Both lower points can be bolt points or heads of the arrow, this is not so quite clear to me.

The points in the middle of the picture are even older:
The monster with the barbs is typically Germanic.
The long thin point ("armoured breaker") is Roman in this case, however, sharp this kind were virtually all the time about in use.
The other three (with thorn instead of spout) are typical for the eastern rider's people, those of 5. to 10. Cent. have occurred under varying name in Europe. I believe, the left one is hunnisch, middle skythisch (or in Hungarian?), and surely (with the holes) awarisch.

The ax head is thought a "combination ax", as a weapon as well as as tools. Pure war axes had substantially thinner sheets. I have forgotten time here, I believe this was thus 12. Cent.

Below the longer blade is a Gladius of the type "Mainz", unfortunately, with uncompleted point and hinge. All together like the blade on the photo further below.


Re: Possible Mainz Gladius - stevesarak - 09-14-2006

Maybe somebody could comment on the bottom pictures of a Gladius crossway on a stand. The site does say it’s a Gladius and it certainly does looks like one, but unless I’m mistaken, the blade of a Roman gladius was at a 45 degree angle where it met the tang. The sword in the picture is tapered. Its corners could have been corroded, I do see a little corrosion but not much and considering the condition of the metal around it, it looks like it was originally tapered.

Like I said, maybe someone with a little more experience could comment on this.


Re: Possible Mainz Gladius - Conal - 09-15-2006

The Hispaniensis had sloping shoulders so maybe this is a transitional type ?


Mainz gladius - raeticus - 09-15-2006

The upper sword of 4 on the lowest image down under could well be a Mainz blade. As the text assumes as well.

But all the stuff seems to rust away. Needs to be treated urgently.....

Andreas