The Parazonium

[Giannis K. Hoplite]

Kineas,i disagree. All the ones i have seen are being hunged from the one side. What happens is that they have four rings,and the are using them as i use mine. They pass the baldric from the rings of the one side,they cross the baldric in the middle prdusing and "X" and tie them on the oposite rings of the other side. This makes the sword hung in an angle,so the hilt is raised away from your body and you can reach it easily even when holding a shield. It also brings the scabard in the perfect position to hold it with your elbow,pressing it to your body while pulling your sword out. This is the reason they are hung so much high on the chest and not to the thigh. I have worn mine enough,always thinking how great a thought it was that they hung them like that.
I nice photo is this one from Delphi museum: http://www.flickr.com/photos/i-deia/3621524416/sizes/o/ i think the finds date to the 460's if not earlier.
In more than one threads in the greek section i have demonstarted how the rings are usually utilised,one of them must be a thread related to kopis/falcata scabard,where i posted not only kopides but also leaf shaped swords and i'm sure some of them are earlier than the 430's and soem perhaps earlier than 500.
The two rings oposite,like yours,cause the scabard to hand straight down,something that is never the case in art.
Khaire
Giannis