Ornate pugio discussion

[Magnus]

True, but if you think about it...that metal inlay is going to get worn away faster than if it was just plain steel. Silver and such is a lot softer, and will be exposed to more rubbing than other components.

Unless pugiones weren't used that much?

[Magnus]

Would you agree though, that if an Evocati, centurion, prefect, Tribune or even a legionary with extra gold in his pocket (after plundering) were to purchase a pugio from Rufus Pugio Makerus he’d more likely than not purchase, or commission to have made, a pugio that was far more ornate?

Yeah, I can't disagree with that one bit. Which I think is why we see so many ornate ones....but I still can't see that as being a tool/weapon then that was used either a lot...or maybe they had a plain one for out in the field. Who knows.

If it were me, I wouldn't want a piece of kit like that getting damaged at all.

[Tarbicus]

If it were me, I wouldn't want a piece of kit like that getting damaged at all.

But there can be little or no doubt at all that centurions, for example, wore their phalerae in battle, which were probably even more precious. If you're going to Hades you may as well show up wearing your Sunday best.

For all we know the engravings may have held some kind of religious or supernatural purpose, and the more luck you take into battle the better?

[Peroni]

If it were me, I wouldn't want a piece of kit like that getting damaged at all.

Don't apply too much modern thinking! :wink: nearly all of the Roman soldier's equipment was highly decorated, or sheathed in silver/tinned, even down to the smallest items. Why not wear your 'bling' to battle?

[Marcus Mummius]

If I had such an expensive pugio I'd want to carry it on my all the time. Otherwise someone might nick it

What do you mean by this, Magnus:

Yeah, I can't disagree with that one bit. Which I think is why we see so many ornate ones....

[Cassius Tullius]

The helmet that shows an interior view appears to have what looks like banding; sort of like a dolly was used. I would have thought to see either hammer marks for a shaped helm or a concentric pattern for a spun helmet.

The Officer's Gladius Hispensis, I thought, looks like a late pattern spatha.

[AntonivsMarivsCongianocvs]

Salve,

Concerning the details and ornate pugios... here are several from various sources around the world...

[AntonivsMarivsCongianocvs]

and a few more...

[Magnus]

Anthony, go back about 10 threads in Reenactment and REconstruction, you'll find more pugio pictures than you can shake a stick at. There were two semi-recent threads on recreating them.

[AntonivsMarivsCongianocvs]

and a few more still

[AntonivsMarivsCongianocvs]

Below are the last four I found.

In all honesty, I personally would rather have one that was more ornate (like the originals) than the new "plain pugio" that Deepeeka is making.

The only reason I 'might' want the "plain pugio" would be so I could customize it myself to look more like the originals.

Also, everyone seems to have the small circular disk attacked at the end; except those that appear to have broken off... why are recreation pugios nearly all missing this feature?

If you look at the photos above, you'll see several that look the same but, at a second glance, most are different with subtle differences.

[Magnus]

If I had such an expensive pugio I'd want to carry it on my all the time. Otherwise someone might nick it

What do you mean by this, Magnus:

Yeah, I can't disagree with that one bit. Which I think is why we see so many ornate ones....

I was agreeing with Anthony's statement: "Would you agree though, that if an Evocati, centurion, prefect, Tribune or even a legionary with extra gold in his pocket (after plundering) were to purchase a pugio from Rufus Pugio Makerus he’d more likely than not purchase, or commission to have made, a pugio that was far more ornate?"

Yeah, I see what you guys are saying about looking your best in battle...but putting inlay and such on the handle of a pugio? The scabbard...makes sense. Even the guard of the pugio I can see. But what's the point in looking your best when your gear that is supposed to be nice and blingish is worn away with use? To me it makes more sense to have the parts that aren't going to experience wear and tear look lovely, and keep the handles utilitarian.

[Et tu brute]

I fully back down on my comment that the pugio looked to ornate, I had no idea that so many were so highly decorative.

[Tarbicus]

Yeah, I see what you guys are saying about looking your best in battle...but putting inlay and such on the handle of a pugio? The scabbard...makes sense. Even the guard of the pugio I can see. But what's the point in looking your best when your gear that is supposed to be nice and blingish is worn away with use? To me it makes more sense to have the parts that aren't going to experience wear and tear look lovely, and keep the handles utilitarian.

We don't even know how often they were used, but it's likely they sat in the scabbard for 99.9% of their life. Why even bother with a functional blade if they were purely for decoration?

[Robert Vermaat]

I've re-named the thread.