Dacian Swords (Other than the Falx)

[diegis]

About one of the things i write here i just read in some military history book,

About "akinakes" swords, well, is in that book too, and i will try to present something from the net too.

The article is only in romanian, unfortunately

What is the name of the book and article?

About sica ( which i dont see to come from german "saex", why you said that realy dont know ? ), and how was used, well, many swords was short,

I didn't saw that the fighting knife (in Romanian "cutite de lupta") was the sica. In Dacian archaeology there is a weapon called "battle knife" or "fighting knife". It is LIKE a saex. It is not derived from it. I didn't say it was, only that it is LIKE saex. Read all of this forum discussion because at the beginning of the discussion there is mentioned one and there are some puctures. This is the weapon that I mention. At 60cm it is LIKE a sword but it is CALLED a knife. Ask any Dacian archaeologist and they will know what it refers to. If you say "cutite de lupta" they will know you mean that weapon and not a sica. They always call a sica a "sica".

Also, sica is crescent shaped and decorated. Falx is usually a hooked ended shape and not decorated. The biggest sica is maybe 40cm and smallest falx is about 60cm. What intermediary examples to you know about?

You should read the more recent articles of Ferencz and Dima (from the last 10 years). They will give you more information on Dacians. Not books by Iorga written 100 years ago. Nor stuff written in the communist era. There is too much out dated info and biased "facts".

Well, lets begin with first answer. Unfortunately i dont remember the name of the book, i read it couple years ago, and it was not mine. However, was a pure military history book, not related with any "comunist" view of history, which mainly was just present dacians as "good guys" who fight for freedom, as a kind of "proletars" against "imperialist invaders". And trust me, the ones who know better in military history are military historians ( unfortunately i didnt read anything from ones you tell me, but trust me, is not a wise thing to imediatly deny something because was writed long ago, or in comunist times, because 2+2=4 in those times too, so come with real arguments, so not become you "biased" ).
I have, lets say, since childoohod as hooby what we call "arme albe", and i never let any ocasion to study and to handle any such weapons since then, i saw both real and modern copies of falx ( in museums ), and celtic straight sword finded here, and i read all i find about it. This is the site with "akinakes" info

http://www.curierul.forter.ro/07ist/04.htm

And this are some images with sica, falx, and battle knives ( battle knives i presume can be sometimes considered as a sica, just dont have graves and worksmanship of sica, and can be as well curved or straight )

http://www.gk.ro/sarmizegetusa/ranistor ... alx_03.jpg

http://www.gk.ro/sarmizegetusa/ranistor ... alx_04.jpg

http://www.gk.ro/sarmizegetusa/ranistor ... alxuri.jpg

http://www.gk.ro/sarmizegetusa/ranistor ... alx_01.jpg

http://www.gk.ro/sarmizegetusa/ranistor ... ier_04.jpg

http://www.gk.ro/sarmizegetusa/ranistor ... ier_06.jpg

http://www.stoa.org/trajan/images/hi/2.63.h.jpg

http://www.stoa.org/trajan/images/hi/2.65.h.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kjfnjy/224054839/

http://www.hermann-historica.de/auktion ... at54_g.txt

http://www.hermann-historica.de/auktion ... at54_g.txt

http://www.enregistrersous.com/images/v ... 020657.jpg

http://www.swordsmith.net/roman.asp?gal ... d=75#Items

I have a drawning from a falx finded by Parvan, if i remember correct, but i cannt find now. As you see, swords here, both original and reproductions are not quite the same in shape and dimensions. Sica was probably used mostly by tarabostes ( nobles ), but not sure if just by them, and comati ( capilati-common peoples ) used probably some gladius type one. Some ones uses falxes ( the most skiled warriors ), swords who aperead in my opinion after first encounters with romans and theyr scutum. The only comon thing is that both sica and falx was curved swords ( with falx as an evolution of sica because of necesity and diferent startegy, as spatha was a development of gladius ) used by dacians mostly against romans ( the falx ), and this is the reason of disapearing after the daco-roman wars. However, curved battle knives remain in what we call today "cosor".