02-26-2004, 08:47 PM
Avete!<br>
One option for suspending the gladius scabbard from the belt can be seen about halfway down the Legio XX Gladius page,<br>
<br>
www.larp.com/legioxx/gladius.html<br>
<br>
The Delos scabbard, and other hispaniensis scabbards, had TWO rings at the back edge, NOT four. It was also found with 2 little buckles, so I concluded a rig something like this:<br>
<br>
www.larp.com/legioxx/hispan1.jpg<br>
<br>
The sword is clearly shown hanging at this angle on the Altar of Ahenobarbus.<br>
<br>
I'm not sure I trust the interpretation of the Vindonissa sword. That piece with the disc is a fairly common find, generally interpreted as a cloak fastener. There were dozens found at Vindonissa, bone as well as bronze. It COULD have been jury-rigged onto a belt, but there was no indication in that article that the leather had survived to the extent that this could be determined. I'm a little iffy on that small buckle being used for the suspension "X-strap" on the scabbard, but am willing to live with it.<br>
<br>
On the discontinuation of the pugio, there are all those big 3rd century Kunzig daggers which would refute this, assuming they are properly dated. It has alway struck me as odd how similar they are to those from the first century BC: wide blade with simple midrib, even the frame scabbard. We are led to believe that they evolved from this form to a slimmer blade with fullers or a groove-defined rib, with first shell scabbards and then the "type B" wood sheaths with a metal front plate. But then a gap of a hundred years and suddenly the thing is revived--in its original form? Can anyone tell me how accurate the dating is on the Kunzig stuff? It was dug up before 1900, as I recall...<br>
<br>
Am I dragging this off-topic? Valete,<br>
<br>
Matthew/Quintus <p></p><i></i>
One option for suspending the gladius scabbard from the belt can be seen about halfway down the Legio XX Gladius page,<br>
<br>
www.larp.com/legioxx/gladius.html<br>
<br>
The Delos scabbard, and other hispaniensis scabbards, had TWO rings at the back edge, NOT four. It was also found with 2 little buckles, so I concluded a rig something like this:<br>
<br>
www.larp.com/legioxx/hispan1.jpg<br>
<br>
The sword is clearly shown hanging at this angle on the Altar of Ahenobarbus.<br>
<br>
I'm not sure I trust the interpretation of the Vindonissa sword. That piece with the disc is a fairly common find, generally interpreted as a cloak fastener. There were dozens found at Vindonissa, bone as well as bronze. It COULD have been jury-rigged onto a belt, but there was no indication in that article that the leather had survived to the extent that this could be determined. I'm a little iffy on that small buckle being used for the suspension "X-strap" on the scabbard, but am willing to live with it.<br>
<br>
On the discontinuation of the pugio, there are all those big 3rd century Kunzig daggers which would refute this, assuming they are properly dated. It has alway struck me as odd how similar they are to those from the first century BC: wide blade with simple midrib, even the frame scabbard. We are led to believe that they evolved from this form to a slimmer blade with fullers or a groove-defined rib, with first shell scabbards and then the "type B" wood sheaths with a metal front plate. But then a gap of a hundred years and suddenly the thing is revived--in its original form? Can anyone tell me how accurate the dating is on the Kunzig stuff? It was dug up before 1900, as I recall...<br>
<br>
Am I dragging this off-topic? Valete,<br>
<br>
Matthew/Quintus <p></p><i></i>
Matthew Amt (Quintus)
Legio XX, USA
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.larp.com/legioxx/">http://www.larp.com/legioxx/
Legio XX, USA
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.larp.com/legioxx/">http://www.larp.com/legioxx/
