Fulham Scabbard Finds

[sulla felix]

Barry, I was thinking the same thing about the current scabbard. But what are you going to change the scabbard to? Where is the evidence you are going to base it off?

OK - simple (relatively!) punched designs such as those seen
here

[sulla felix]

PS, how is the sword itself? Sturdy? It looks really nice from the pictures.

Yes it is sturdy, but I feel it is a bit on the thin side (3mm max) when compared to some surviving Mainz examples (5-7mm). The grip is a bit thin for me too, but that is easily remedied. Overall I think it is good value for money (as long as you are prepared to do some work to it), but I did find that the scabbard was not particularly well made and pretty disappointing overall.

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

The mouth pieces and the round pieces are from swords similars to the Tiberius one.

The round piece are, as i have seen, separated and soldered.

The Tiberius sword is composed by some pieces. Is a wooden scabbard covered by metalic plain plates. Then, a mouth piece and a chape are added, as the suspension bands and the round piece.

Another swords are similar in construction, but with the plates embossed, and not plains. The one in the bottom of the page linked by Sulla Felix is one of these.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Excellent link Barry, that is a new version of that website?

[sulla felix]

Excellent link Barry, that is a new version of that website?

Not sure Byron, but it is excellent!

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I tend to be of the same opinion about the Fulham, I think it is just a Mainz
that has been sharpened over time, altering the shape.

Just my opinion tho'!

[sulla felix]

Agreed - just have a look at this Mainz. Why not a type assigned for this?

[Decimus Aurelius Varus]

Thats a great point. Come to think of it, I guess your right. We may never know the absolute truth, but this is as good as any. As for the scabbards, would they be as accurate if one were to just put different decorated plates on the scabbard? I mean how much criticism would I get if I made up my own decorated plates. Maybe I could "steal" a scene from a different scabbard, or a pompeii... :?:

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

If it was a Roman scabbard why not?

There were more than a couple of hundred in existence I'll bet at any one time!! :wink: :lol:
My new scabbard has elements of different scabbards on it, I believe!!

It is nice to have an exact copy of a certain scabbard for sure, but we will soon all start looking the same. :roll: :roll:

[Decimus Aurelius Varus]

Ha. :lol:
Ya, why cant a soldier comission his own design? Or have a custom made scabbard handed down to him. There are a lot of plates out there, but most of the reconstructed ones are all the same. I guess its time for me to hit the drawing board. I gotta figure out what examples I want to use.
Thanks Byron

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

If we have a lot of authentic exemplars, why vaste your time and work in make an not accurate piece? Pieces out of tipology are very scarce, and even that pieces are close to the homogeneus types.

Use an Pompei motif in a Mainz scabbard is like reenact a wwii soldier using a camoflage esqueme of the desert storm operation.

[Decimus Aurelius Varus]

Cesar you have a good point. My plan was to take a few examples of Mainz finds and make design for my own... nothing too fancy, and something that could blend in enough that it wont attract too much attention... :roll: Once i get the idea drawn up, ill post. Then we can criticize some more...

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

What I was meaning was take different 'existing ' plates, from various finds and combine them to make a scabbard that is to your own liking, not make up designs that are fantasy! Sorry if you misunderstood me.

[Tarbicus]

Caballo was good enough to show me Christian Miks' book on Roman swords. I have to say I was amazed at the variety in shapes and suspect we limit ourselves a bot too much. It's also possible to see a direct evolution from the hispaniensis to the fulham/mainz type, if you accept the theory that the long blade of 'typical' hispaniensis style is actually celtic LaTene. That's been discussed elsewhere.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Jim, you need to get these books for yourself! They are amazing!
Like you say, the variety of shapes and possibilities are way beyond what we limit ourselves to.