03-16-2012, 09:54 PM
This is my first post in the Forum, so i hope I'm in the right place.
I'm doing some research on the history of my town, Braga, in Portugal. During Roman times it was called Bracara Augusta, and was founded around 16 BC by Emperor Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus. This region was the home of a community called the Bragari, an ancient Celtic tribe of Gallaecia, akin to the Calaicians or Gallaec.
From archaeological findings near Braga, in Citânia de Briteiros, we now know that the Bracari used the Falcata during the time of Roman conquest. But until now, no Roman Gladius as been found in the area.
My question is: What kind of Gladius would the Roman Army would have used during the conquest of the northwest part of the Iberian peninsula? The first known presence of Roman Army in this part of the peninsula is by Consul Decimus Junius Brutus and dates to 138 BC, but only around 20BC was the region pacified.
I'm confused because the information i find only speaks about the Gladius Hispaniensis, but that was an evolution from a previous sword, right? To my understanding, the Hispaniensis was a model adopted by the army AFTER the conquest of the Hispanias (Ulterior and Citerior), or am i wrong? When the Romans arrived at this part of the Peninsula the Hispaniensis was already in use?
Another question i have regards the Lusitanians.
I studied that the Lusitanians were well know soldiers. They were used as mercenaries by many factions. For example, there are records of the presence of Lusitanians warriors in Sicily, in the Battle of Hímera, in 480 BC among other places. Can this fact explain the presence of the Falcata in the Iberian Peninsula? I imagine that both Lusitanians and Bracari being Celtic tribes, would use swords like La Tène?
If Roman army was inspired and followed (at the beginning) after the Greeks, why didn't they also used the Falcata? Why the "surprise" of Roman writers with the weapons and valor of the Iberian tribes if they were already known as mercenaries?
Thanks in advance.
I'm doing some research on the history of my town, Braga, in Portugal. During Roman times it was called Bracara Augusta, and was founded around 16 BC by Emperor Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus. This region was the home of a community called the Bragari, an ancient Celtic tribe of Gallaecia, akin to the Calaicians or Gallaec.
From archaeological findings near Braga, in Citânia de Briteiros, we now know that the Bracari used the Falcata during the time of Roman conquest. But until now, no Roman Gladius as been found in the area.
My question is: What kind of Gladius would the Roman Army would have used during the conquest of the northwest part of the Iberian peninsula? The first known presence of Roman Army in this part of the peninsula is by Consul Decimus Junius Brutus and dates to 138 BC, but only around 20BC was the region pacified.
I'm confused because the information i find only speaks about the Gladius Hispaniensis, but that was an evolution from a previous sword, right? To my understanding, the Hispaniensis was a model adopted by the army AFTER the conquest of the Hispanias (Ulterior and Citerior), or am i wrong? When the Romans arrived at this part of the Peninsula the Hispaniensis was already in use?
Another question i have regards the Lusitanians.
I studied that the Lusitanians were well know soldiers. They were used as mercenaries by many factions. For example, there are records of the presence of Lusitanians warriors in Sicily, in the Battle of Hímera, in 480 BC among other places. Can this fact explain the presence of the Falcata in the Iberian Peninsula? I imagine that both Lusitanians and Bracari being Celtic tribes, would use swords like La Tène?
If Roman army was inspired and followed (at the beginning) after the Greeks, why didn't they also used the Falcata? Why the "surprise" of Roman writers with the weapons and valor of the Iberian tribes if they were already known as mercenaries?
Thanks in advance.
