The Falx

[Paullus Scipio]

Ruben wrote:-

The rhomphaia could have evolved earlier than the early 4th C. BC, but an example simply hasn't survived. Likewise, the rhomphaia could have been used after Valerius Flaccus' mention, but no trace exists in the literary or archaeological record of it.

I can sort of see your logic.....the caution of saying'the earliest/latest we know of', I guess.....but I think that logic flawed in a 'coulda, woulda, shoulda' kind of way, because if you follow it then nothing is certain! (O.K......that is of course correct :lol: ).
As with most things ancient, I think we have to accept 'Balance of Probability' as our criteria...and based on our knowledge to date, the rhomphaia was mostly used in the third-second C, B.C.........

Why would he refer to it as a rhomphaia? And numerous examples of excavated rhomphaiai have blade and shaft of equal length.

.....for the rather obvious reason that when he looked at the Falx of the Bastarnae in his own age, he thought the weapon from the same region described in the histories was the same ( though overlooking that Plutarch says, using Scipio Nasica's eye-witness account 'straight rhomphaia, heavy with iron' ).....and who knows, maybe by the definition he was using, the Falx was a rhomphaia e.g.

So what differentiates a rhomphaia and a falx, then?

Good question ! Valerius Flaccus evidently thought them the same....Whatever we decide, I guess...
How about;
"The rhomphaia's blade was straight or only slightly curved, while the falx's blade was significantly curved. " ( wikipaedia definition !)BTW, the slightly curved examples(very few) are likely to have been deliberately bent and it is quite likely that all rhomphaia were straight in practise.
Or how about:
rhomphaia = long, spear-like straight weapon 120cm aprox with blade and handle of similar length (blade60-80 cm, tang 50-70 cm) used by Thracians from 4C, B.C; essentially a polearm used for cutting or stabbing. Can be used single handed with shield in spear fashion, or as two-handed pole-arm.
Falx = cutting axe/sword-like weapon with pronounced curved blade aprox 90 cm long in total, with short two handed grip 35 cm long, only sutable for cutting, due to pronounced curve.Blade is on concave side of weapon. Used by Bastarnae tribesmen in 1-2C, A.D.

The major difference is one of purpose and design and function - they are two different weapons to do two different things. 8) 8)

Why would subordinated allied troops be allowed to wear the cap that marked the Dacian nobility?

....Just because Dacians used caps in this way does not mean that other people could not wear caps !! All peoples had headwear ! :wink:
...and what evidence is there that Bastarnae or Sarmatian Rox-Alani Allies were ever 'subordinated' ? On the contrary, the evidence on Trajan's column, where they send separate embassies Trajan clearly implies they were independent, as does the fact that following this embassy ( at the start of the second war) neither Rox-Alani nor Bastarnae take part in the second war, but sensibly observe the apparently generous terms they obtained from Trajan after the first war. We are also told that Decebalus pleaded with his neighbours and Allies to join him in the second war, evidently in vain( see epitome of Dio). So hardly 'subordinated' ( not to mention that neither at Adamklissi or on the Column do Sarmatian Rox-Alani or Bastarnae fight side-by-side on the same battlefield as Dacians ).
All this , of course, is subject to the caveat that our knowledge of these wars is fairly scanty....if only Trajan's 'Dacica', apparently modelled on Caesar's 'Gallic Wars' had come down to us !!

My apologies, Diegis, but there are errors on almost every page of that book ( at least the ones on the site) and I don't have the time, nor is there room enough here to deal with them here......it would take a major essay/book !