Spatha

[CHADBURN]

Hello,

I am studying the Roman swords. I often read that the Roman cavalry used a long sword in the first century: the spatha (?). Can you tell me the sites where we found this type of sword and size?

I read as often as swords type spatha replace gladius. What are the different types of gladius and first century ? (other than the type or pompeii and type Mainz) and especially in the second century?

Which swords that can be considered as spatha(name) ? And date ? The swords in the Roman army in the third century they are all of spatha? If so (?) why certain length sword are virtually identical to the swords of the first century?

Spatha of II , III and IV century found in the barbarian world (most of them) they have a link with the spatha of the first century? I believe some historians think they have a Roman origin and other Germanic origin.:

Can you help me!
mrgreen:

[jvrjenivs]

Well, I would suggest you to take a look at the following:
Christian Miks. Studien zur römischen Schwertbewaffnung in der Kaiserzeit. Teil I - Text und Teil II - Katalog und Tafeln. Kölner Studien zur Archäologie der römischen Provinzen, Band 8. Herausgegeben von Thomas Fischer. 927 Seiten, 117 Abbildungen, 352 Tafeln
ISBN 13:978-3-89646-136-0

[marcos]

Wow, indeed a great question! One can talk hours about. My opnion is that is a big mistake to talk about "types" of gladi as well as spathae or pugiones, ancient weapons were not classified as we modern want. Each gladius was different from others, above all up to first half of the first century. But also in the pompei type, perhaps one of the most standardized type, you can find speciments totally different each other. But up to Claudius reign, during the so called hispaniensis-mainz types, difference are quite more evident.
If you want to talk just about spathae, i.e. roman swords, and not about gladi too, I think better is begin from the end of the 1st century (+/-) onwards.
The best link is, up to my opinion, between the Lauriacum spatha and pompei gladius.
Do you need some issues or some images of spathae?