South paw swordsmen.

[Spetsnaz]

Hey!

Something came to mind earlier tonight while I was browsing through some pictures of people's impressions to get an idea on starting my own soon.

My handedness!

I'm a southpaw. Left handed. Lefty, etc.

Now, I can function with my right hand. For some costumes I've worn I have sacrificed my handedness by wielding props with my right hand. If I practiced, I could fully function right handed with things close to my body, but if it ever came to throwing something, look out! My right handed throwing abilities make three year old children laugh.

Would it be proper for someone who is southpaw to wear their sword on their left side and carry their shield on the right? Given the disciplined requirements for Roman formation, I'd probably find myself on the left flank for this situation. Especially if the demonstration called for throwing something, because if I had to throw with my right, my comrades better watch out! :oops:

I tried a search and did not find something on this topic. Is anyone else on the board left handed and reenact with it?

I could wear my sword on the right side still, and would just have to deal with cross-drawing it. For the most part, I personally think I could make do with what I am and bite the bullet by sticking at being right handed, but sitting out whenever a demonstration calls for throwing Pilum.

Anyone have any thoughts or experience on this matter?

[Tarbicus]

We dub thee Scaevola. http://www.livius.org/mu-mz/mucius/scaevola.html

[Bran ap Maclou]

Hello,

I'm also Southpaw, during our first training with Herculiani and Foederati, I asked to Damianus if I can fight Southpaw and keep a particular flank in the late roman unit.

Answer was "No historical evidence ! So you keep your left arm for the shield !"
Well, actually that's not a problem, even for fighting with the spear or the plumbatae, I'm just a bit less accurate. But, I don't suffer under the weight of the shield and I can strike more violently with it. So, that's not such a problem to be "sinister". My character is analphabet also, then...

However I shoot my bow as a lefty, and I make also craft as a lefty. And I can't change that for this work, Sorry !

Regards

Greg

Letavia : The seguntienses

[Gaivs Antonivs Satvrninvs]

Salve,Spetz,
I am also a "lefty" but to answer your question-no. You still wear the gladius on the right side, no cross-drawing. You still carry your scutum with your left hand. It's not so much for your own comfort as those next to you in battle line. A lefty in Roman or Greek armies would have to use his right. Yes, it's a little awkward to throw a pilum but really, how often do you actually throw one ? If you need to, some practice will help alot.
Historically, people have normally been trained (forced) to use their right
even up to 100 years ago or less.
Hey, if you think that's bad, imagine someone who was seriously nearsighted. Before eyeglasses, you just didn't see well and still had to function. At Phillipi, Cassius couldn't tell if they were winning or losing and assumed the worst.

[Hugh Fuller]

As a cadet at West Point, he was class of 1934, my southpaw Dad was being instructed in shooting a Springfield '03A3 bolt action which was, of course, right-handed. He was having trouble hitting the proverbial broad side of a barn until the sergeant in charge of training the cadets told him to try it left-handed. Dad did so, letting go of the forestock to work the bolt with his right hand, and he scored very well. The sergeant's resonse was, "Mister, don't you ever let anyone tell you to shoot right-handed again!"

[Gaius_Calvus]

Conversely, M. Curius Alexander on this forum, who grew up in the former Soviet Union, will tell you that there were no "left-handed" folks in the USSR. All were trained from the earliest age to perform as right-handers.

From the Roman perspective, I see very little likelihood that you would have been allowed to fight left-handed, given the risks that would entail to the larger unit's integrity.

Finally, I don't recall seeing any infantryman depicted in paintings or statuary depicted with his gladius on his left with the exception of centurions. This leads me to believe that Soldiers were consistently trained to fight right-handed.

"The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one."

Regards,

Edge

[Spetsnaz]

Thank you all for your insight!

I figured as much that I would have to again sacrifice comfort with realism. As I mentioned and some of you mentioned, it would mess with unit formations to have a designated lefty in the group.

While I probably could step up and create a Centurion impression to compensate for this southpaw syndrome, I do not see myself a person of that stature and even if I led my own group, I'd rather be in formation than leading it. :lol:

As for Pilum, I suppose I'll have to work on throwing right handed.


Who knows though, maybe in the future.

Also, Tarbicus, I may have found a Roman name thanks to you! It seems sort of befitting. I'd probably come up with a different first name, but the surname sounds fitting enough. :lol:

Thank you all again for your input and thoughts on the matter!