Sword, I century AD

[Bruno Bazzani]

I'm searching for information about the swords portrayed in this picture:
xoomer.alice.it/bruno.bazzani/sword.jpg

The relief is from Palmyra and is dated to the I century AD.

I'm particularly interested in the peculiar pommels, very similar to one recently found in an archaeological excavation in northern Africa (in a roman context).

References to specific bibliography is also welcome.

Many thanks in advance,
Bruno

[Tarbicus]

They look like the classic, pre-Mainz, Republican 'gladius hispaniensis', as seen in Armae and Deepeeka's ongoing reproduction here:
[url:2cu4ujai]http://www.armae.com/Actualitesetmanuels/Delos/Delos.htm[/url]

Great examples of what might be lamellar armour as well.

[Peroni]

I can't get the link to work(?) :?

[Tarbicus]

Copy the link address (right-click) and paste it into a new web page. I think hot-linking's a no-no there.

[Bruno Bazzani]

I forgot to mention a couple of details:
- the new found sword is 1.05 m length
- the pommel seems to be ebony

Pommel is almost identical to the swords of the Palmyra relief (though it is hard to evaluate sword lenght and, of course, the pommel's material).

The comparison proposed by TARBICvS doesn't seem to fit too much (I'm still talking about the pommel).

Thank you anyway TARBICvS !

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

It's a pommel made by 3 esferes. It's common in some other reliefs, like the famous centurio Minucius Lorarius (43 bC), that you can find in the database of funerary stellae:



I think it's dont have yet atested archeologically. All the republican period swords seems to have organic hilting, so there are not preserved.

I am extremly interested in see the exemplar you quote. Please, can you post a picture?

The lenght of the sword implies a cavalry sword, better than a common gladius.

The palmyrene relief depicts some local war gods, if i remember correctly.

[Bruno Bazzani]

Thank you very much, Lucius !
Minucius' sword looks very similar.
Unfortunately I'm not allowed to give out any image at the moment because the finding date back just to last month and it is completely unpublished. However I promise to come back to this forum as soon as I have more news or distributable pictures, though it may take some time.
The fact that it seems to be one of the first archaeological attestations make it even more important that it follow a proper scientific path to publication. I'm sure you understand.

Could you please quote any publication about the subject: roman swords and their decorations ?

All the best,
Bruno

[Tarbicus]

:? What's the difference?

I really look forward to seeing your sword.

[Matthew]

What a great picture (now I have got it working, thanks Jim!). I suppose it is not transposed? All wearing Swords on the left. Any ideas about the body armour they are wearing? Hamata? Squamata? Could it be (dare I say it) Lamellar? I'm thinking stylised Hamata.

[Bruno Bazzani]

To thanks the forum for the help provided I've been allowed to send two small previews !
Plese do not redistribute or publish them in any way.

[Bruno Bazzani]

Gloss on the pommel is due to the chemicals used to preserve the sword during the removal from the soil.

Still waiting for bibliographical references :lol:

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

I'm still impressed. You are a very lucky archeological team! I can say, it's the first time such kind of pommel it's atested.

Looking the picture, and if the total lenght is 105, it could be perhaps a hispaniensis.

What kind of bibliography wants? About hispaniensis?

I'm very grateful to you.

Una grandissima scoperta.

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

Only one question more... :roll: It's from Egypt? :wink:

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

That is cool in the extreme! Congratulation to your team for such a unique find! Can't wait to see these finds published/ in a museum somewhere! BTW what museum would it be shown in! 8) 8)

[aitor iriarte]

Most probably, Libia and, yes , it looks like an Hispaniensis! hock:

Fernando? 8)

Aitor