08-07-2005, 07:59 PM
I was once told jokingly that one cannot be a Thracian reenactor without having a rhomphaia. I think you can, but I also thought that a rhomphaia would be a fascinating weapon to own. There does not seem to be a wealth of information readily available on these weapons – the bulk of the information I have came from Christopher Weber’s Thracian website in the form of photographs of rhomphaia, archeological papers, and archeological drawings.
Based on the available data rhomphaia can be divided into 4 groups: (1) short (about 3 feet or 1 meter overall length) with a straight blade, (2) short with a slightly curved blade, (3) long (4 to 5 feet or 120 cm to 150 cm overall length) with a straight blade and (4) long with a curved blade. The long and short rhomphaia differ significantly in blade geometry. Short rhomphaia appear to have the simpler cross-sections – rectangular for the tang and triangular (I used this term loosely as the blade surface no doubt follows a compound curve from spine to cutting edge) for the blade. Long rhomphaia are far more complex. The lower grip is shaped much like the grip of a kopis or falcata, but the bulk of the grip has an I-beam type cross section. The blade possesses a T-shaped cross-section from the base of the blade to about a hand’s length from the tip where the cross section changes to a more basic triangular one. Long rhomphaia also posses a brass ring near the base of blade just forward of the grip which was presumably used to mount a carrying strap so the blade could be carried slung over one shoulder (as evidenced by historical reference and at least one burial site.
This dichotomy of blade geometry – simple versus complex – at first led me to believe the short rhomphaia represented earlier versions of the weapon. The long rhomphaia I thought represented more technologically advanced version where the length limitations imposed by the Thracian knowledge of metallurgy were overcome by the complex geometry.
Recently however I have had an experience which has changed my mind. I received as a gift a reproduction 13th century Oakeshott type XIIa sword. The Type XIIa has a longer blade and longer grip than normal single hand Type XII. The extra blade length allows it to be used more effectively while on horseback and the extra-grip length allows it to be used more effectively while on foot and using a “hand and a halfâ€ÂÂ
Based on the available data rhomphaia can be divided into 4 groups: (1) short (about 3 feet or 1 meter overall length) with a straight blade, (2) short with a slightly curved blade, (3) long (4 to 5 feet or 120 cm to 150 cm overall length) with a straight blade and (4) long with a curved blade. The long and short rhomphaia differ significantly in blade geometry. Short rhomphaia appear to have the simpler cross-sections – rectangular for the tang and triangular (I used this term loosely as the blade surface no doubt follows a compound curve from spine to cutting edge) for the blade. Long rhomphaia are far more complex. The lower grip is shaped much like the grip of a kopis or falcata, but the bulk of the grip has an I-beam type cross section. The blade possesses a T-shaped cross-section from the base of the blade to about a hand’s length from the tip where the cross section changes to a more basic triangular one. Long rhomphaia also posses a brass ring near the base of blade just forward of the grip which was presumably used to mount a carrying strap so the blade could be carried slung over one shoulder (as evidenced by historical reference and at least one burial site.
This dichotomy of blade geometry – simple versus complex – at first led me to believe the short rhomphaia represented earlier versions of the weapon. The long rhomphaia I thought represented more technologically advanced version where the length limitations imposed by the Thracian knowledge of metallurgy were overcome by the complex geometry.
Recently however I have had an experience which has changed my mind. I received as a gift a reproduction 13th century Oakeshott type XIIa sword. The Type XIIa has a longer blade and longer grip than normal single hand Type XII. The extra blade length allows it to be used more effectively while on horseback and the extra-grip length allows it to be used more effectively while on foot and using a “hand and a halfâ€ÂÂ
Dan Zeidler
Legio XX
Legio XX
