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01-26-2004, 08:02 PM

Salvete, 
 
Thanks for the excellent references & links, guys 
I have read several of Connelly's books and have always been impressed by his work. 
 
It is much appreciated. Will start reading immediately 
 
Curate ut valeatis, 
 
Centurion725

01-26-2004, 08:14 PM

Salvete, 
 
I think you guys are right... That Flax is a nasty weapon based upon the photos you kindly provided, and one can clearly see, as the picture demonstrates, that the damage inflicted on the scutum is severe in both the frontal and lateral blows . I guess the arm guards were added to protect against severed limbs, but could they withstand that much brute force? 
 
The flax in those pictures cuts straight through the scutum as though it were a hot knife through butter . One thrust with the gladius to the torso would make short work of flax weilding Dacian. Indeed, it is a very intimidating weapon to say the least. 
 
Valete, 
Centurion725 Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=centurion725>Centurion725</A> at: 1/26/04 9:15 pm

01-26-2004, 08:50 PM

Just looked at that scutum photo again with the flax imbedded in it and wondered how such damage could be repaired(if at all)? 
 
Valete, 
Centurion725 Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=centurion725>Centurion725</A> <IMG HEIGHT=10 WIDTH=10 SRC="http://images.honesty.com/imagedata/h/568/59/25685916.jpg" BORDER=0> at: 1/27/04 12:48 am

Crispvs · 01-27-2004, 12:24 AM

David Simm has done a lot of experimental reconstruction work on the metalurgy, form and effectiveness of the falx. At the 1999 ROMEC conference I was able to hold (and take a swing or two with) his reconstructed falx. It was extemely blade-heavy and once a swing had been started it was difficult to arrest the motion. To illustrate his paper, he showed high speed film of him using the falx to slice through steel plate at the Royal Armouries. The steel plate was backed by a fairly solid putty but the falx had no trouble slicing into it. We were told that during the filmed experiment he had put very little muscle power into his swing and had relied mainly on the weapon's own weight to carry it forward. He stated on that occasion that the protection given by cross-bracing on helmets may well have been more phychological than practical, given the results of his experiments. Unfortunately his paper on the falx did not appear in the 2000 edition of JRMES so I am unable to point to a reference, other than contacting the eminent Dr Simm himself through Reading University. I have been told more recently that his opinion of the cross-bracing has improved since then. Apparently if the cross-braces are left able to move a little they have a much better deflective effect. I have not seen this in print yet though so I cannot verify it. You might also think of contacting Tony Drake at the Arbeia Museum in South Shields as he has also been doing experimental work on the production and use of the falx. 
 
For my own 2 dupondii, personally I think that the falx would have been used more as an underarm slashing weapon rather than for overarm chops. I feel that an underarm style of use would allow the falxman to more readily parry incoming blows if attacked before he could recover his swing. I also note that on the adamklissi metopes falxmen are often accompanied by other warriors. Could it be that the falx was not so much a weapon of single combat but rather one to be used within a squad equipped with a variety of weapons which could compliment each other. Thus the falxman could be analagous with the machine gunner in a modern infantry section. He holds the most lethal killing power and can bring this to bear with force against an opponent, whilst at the same time he is covered against attack by the weapons of the rest of his section. 
Just a thought. 
 
Hope this helps. 
 
Crispvs

01-27-2004, 12:57 AM

Salve, 
 
Thanks, Crispvs. It is greatly appreciated! 
 
Cura ut valeas, 
Centurion725

Crispvs · 01-27-2004, 03:49 PM

Sorry, 
 
When I got home and checked I found that David Simm's paper on reconstructing and testing the falx did appear after all in the 2000 edition of JRMES. It was Carol Van Dreil-Murray's paper which was missing, rather than David Simm's. 
 
Apologies again 
 
Crispvs

04-03-2004, 07:05 AM

Salve 
 
Just looking through threads and stumbled upon this. Two things: 
 
.. if you need someone to translate from romanian, I would be glad to help you .. 
 
.. and Crispvs, could you give me a link pointing to Simm's work? I would very much apreciate it 
 
Vale

Olaf The Viking · 01-25-2006, 11:57 AM

I have a picture of a Piatra Rosie shield but I don't think is a shield.

If you want it just e-mail me: [email protected] . Make sure you say "Piatra Rosie" in the e-mail title, I usually delete emails in English. Tongue

I also own a "sica" which is a small version of a "falx":
http://site.neogen.ro/olaftheviking/ima ... 187810.jpg

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