09-17-2010, 06:47 PM
Quote:Unfortunately I don't own Simon James' book on Dura yet. Its price tag is still well beyond my budget. The only report I actually own on Dura is a copy of the report on the siege mines from the original final report series, published (if I recall correctly, off the top of my head) in the late 1960s. Therefore, I have not actually seen pictures of the plates you mention. If however they closely resemble ones in this image (again courtesy of Mike Bishop), then they will almost vertainly be pugio sheaths.
http://s129.photobucket.com/albums/p239 ... fig104.png
Other than the ones you mention, I am not aware of any other copper-alloy pugio sheaths of third century date, but given that some first century AD sheaths were of copper-alloy rather than the more common iron, and helmets could be of either iron or copper-alloy, I see no reason why there might not be copper-alloy sheaths of third century date. If, however the plates you mention are not sheaths as such but something which might be thought to have been attached to a sheath, I would have to say that I would be dubious as to the identification as parts of pugio sheaths. I have seen many fragments of metal described in the past as plates form Roman dagger sheaths which were actually nothing of the sort. Unfortunately there is a widespread misconception that some first century AD dagger sheaths featured attached copper alloy plates, riveted to the iron sheath. This misconception (and all of the incorrect reconstructions which have arisen from it) is based on a mistaken interpretation of a line drawing of a silver inlaid iron sheath from Kempton about twenty years ago by Michael Simkins. So far I know of no evidence for these sheaths with applied copper-alloy plates. However, I have not had the chance to see Simon James' book so do you know if the plates you mention were associated with daggers or not. Perhaps you could enlighten me as to the shape and context of the plates. If you could illustrate them that would be even better.
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A pugio is a dagger by the way, in answer to your question, although just to be confusing, in the later empire a number of other types of dagger came into use which do not resemble earlier pugios and are therefore not called pugios (by modern commentators at any rate).
Crispvs
Hello Crispus,
My apologies for not posting these images from James' book sooner :oops: . I'm very curious to know what you make of them.
Here are the pieces which were found and the descriptions:
[url:387ljhr8]http://picasaweb.google.com/107847424109033033447/PublicAlbum#5517954243858677650[/url]
I'd be grateful for any light you might be able to shed on them.
Best,
Gaius
L.E. Pearson
