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Roman Battle Axe??!
#1
<img src="http://static.zoovy.com/img/888knivesrus/W180-H180-Bffffff/battle_axe" style="border:0;"/><br>
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<strong>Roman Battle Axe<br>
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The unique styling of this axe dates back to the descent of Indo-Persian culture. The crescent shaped axe head measures 6 3/4" L x 5" W and is constructed from solid stainless steel.<br>
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The stainless steel spike placed at the end of the axe is a symbolic feature used as an extra fighting tool. Add this battle axe to your collection today and become the king of the throne. 32" overall.</strong><br>
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just stumbled accross this....anyone heard of this before or have some evidence of it in action?<br>
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i have only seen the engineers using axes against a suprise attack from the dacians on trajans column...<br>
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the whole axe thing makes me think of the franks <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=agit8>agit8</A> <IMG HEIGHT=10 WIDTH=10 SRC="http://images.google.com.au/images?q=tbn:FO6jWc7rDioJ:agit8.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/agicov_2num.jpg" BORDER=0> at: 4/3/04 10:18 am<br></i>
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#2
<span style="text-decoration:underline"><em><strong>Roman battle axe!?</strong></em></span> get real! <p></p><i></i>
** Vincula/Lucy **
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#3
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dont be so quick to dismiss a 'Roman Axe' for its been the symbol of Rome from the early days....a weapon of symbolic nature <p></p><i></i>
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#4
Securis<br>
Article by James Yates, M.A., F.R.S.,<br>
on p1014 of<br>
William Smith, D.C.L., LL.D.:<br>
A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, John Murray, London, 1875.<br>
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SECU´RIS, dim. SECURICULA (a)ci/nh, pele/kuj), an axe or hatchet. The axe was either made with a single edge, or with a blade or head on each side of the haft, the latter kind being denominated bipennis (pele/kuj disto/moj, or a)mfisto/moj, Agathias, Hist. ii.5 pp73, 74). As the axe was not only an instrument of constant use in the hands of the carpenter and the husbandman, but was moreover one of the earliest weapons of attack (Hom. Il. xv.711) a constituent portion of the Roman fasces, and a part of the apparatus when animals were slain in sacrifice, (Suet. Galba, 1 we find it continually recurring under a great variety of forms upon coins, gems, and bas-reliefs. In the woodcut to the article SCEPTRUM, the young Ascanius holds a battle-axe in his hand. Also real axe-heads, both of stone and metal, are to be seen in many collections of antiquities. Besides being made of bronze and iron, and more rarely of silver (Virg. Aen. vi.307; Wilkinson, Man. and Cust. of Egypt. vol. i. p324), axe-heads have from the earliest times and among all nations been made of stone. They are of found in sepulchral tumuli, and are arranged in our museums together with chisels, both of stone and of bronze, under the name of celts [DOLABRA].<br>
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The prevalent use of the axe on the field of battle was generally characteristic of the Asiatic nations (Curt. iii.4), whose troops are therefore called securigerae catervae (Val. Flacc. Argon. v.13. As usual, we find the Asiatic custom propagating itself over the north of Europe. The bipennis and the spear were the chief weapons of the Franks (Agathias, l.c.).<br>
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<p></p><i></i>
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#5
Well agit8, perhaps Vincula has expressed it somewhat rudely but the question is:<br>
1-You cannot find axes like that depicted on Roman statues, reliefs, frescoes... except maybe on one of those weird spolia reliefs<br>
2-Axes like that have not been recovered from Roman archaeological contexts.<br>
3-Of course Roman used axes, lots of kinds of them but, as far as we know, none of them were like the one you've shown us.<br>
4-If I were you, I wouldn't spend a dime buying that 'Roman war axe'<br>
5- The axes (dolabrae) used by roman soldiers to defend tthemselves as a last resort were tools, not weapons, and looked more like pickaxes, you can buy them, for instance, from any of Deepeeka dealers...<br>
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Aitor <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=aitoririarte>Aitor Iriarte</A> at: 4/4/04 10:05 am<br></i>
It\'s all an accident, an accident of hands. Mine, others, all without mind, from one extreme to another, but neither works nor will ever.

Rolf Steiner
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#6
That is a very medieval looking "roman" battle axe, IMHO..<br>
The Persians and Thracians used a double bladed (bipennis) axe. Alexander was almost killed by one at the Granicus.<br>
Although ancient sources talk about the Franks using bipennis axes too, the term was apparently used for the "francisca" throwing axe. <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=antoninuslucretius@romanarmytalk>Antoninus Lucretius</A> <IMG HEIGHT=10 WIDTH=10 SRC="http://lucretius.homestead.com/files/Cesar_triste.jpg" BORDER=0> at: 4/4/04 3:00 pm<br></i>
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#7
Avete omnes,<br>
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the shown battle axe is a pure hollywood invention from the film Gladiator. It was the weapon that Maximus' adversary in the fight with the 4 tigers, Tigris Gallicus, carried in his left hand - in the other hand he held a gladius. The photo below shows Maximus / Russell Crowe after the fight:<br>
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<img src="http://people.freenet.de/u-bahr/gladiator1.jpg" style="border:0;"/><br>
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Greets Uwe <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=uwebahr>Uwe Bahr</A> at: 4/5/04 6:26 am<br></i>
Greets - Uwe
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#8
Arrian mentions Roman cavalry with axes, certainly in the Order of Battle against the Alans and from memory I think also in the Techne Taktike. Do we have any clear idea what these weapons looked like? <p></p><i></i>
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#9
If I recall correctly the mounted soldier in the pilleus cap on the Gamzigrad tombstone carries an axe in his right hand. The footsoldier in the Intercissa helmet carries a spear and apparently no sword.<br>
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Crispvs <p></p><i></i>
Who is called \'\'Paul\'\' by no-one other than his wife, parents and brothers.  :!: <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_exclaim.gif" alt=":!:" title="Exclamation" />:!:

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#10
Chances are any axes used by the romans were either the woodcutting variety (in which case, as mentioned it was a tool), or a dolabra.<br>
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Agit, have you read over Matt Amt's site yet?<br>
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Speaking of the dolabra, one of my members just recieved teh albion version....VERY cool. Would make for a really nasty weapon too. <p>Magnus/Matt<br>
Legio XXX "Ulpia Victrix"<br>
Niagara Falls, Canada</p><i></i>
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#11
I am very interested about which tombstone are you refering to?<br>
About axes,<br>
axe is mostly throwing weapon (like francisca was used) so I am very sceptical about idea of roman regular usage of axe in common situations in battle. As far as I know I have never seen battle axes in roman legionary camps. But we have to think that in the moments when german soldiers have been "adopted" in the army usual concepts of warfare have changed aswell as usage of weapons. So we have to know which period of roman millitary history are we spoking about. <p></p><i></i>
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#12
Hi Duncan,<br>
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The description Arrian gives seems to describe more of a mace than an axe. This is from “Excavations at Dura-Europos 1928-1937 Final Report 7â€ÂÂ
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#13
I dunno about Roman "Battle" axes...You need too much room to swing it about, and you're exposing your arms, and you probably can't use your shield/gets in the way...You'd probably knock your buddies on the heads around and behind you before you'd be able to draw any power/stroke..and nevermind the embarrassment if it got caught on your or a buddies' armor while trying to swing<br>
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there was a discussion on gladius-thrusting and grip a little while ago and hand/wrist pain from excessive thrustings...If you're hand hurts with your Gladius, you're arm's gonna fall off swinging an axe around 1-handed for a few minutes, nevermind the fatigue/wrist shock from repeated smashings... (like an old hammer on steel)<br>
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The "axe used in sacrifice" - I've seen sculpture (Trajan?) that shows a guy wielding a Dolabra on an unfortunate bull...I can only think of small axes/hatchets like the single-edge deal seen on Leg.XX page<br>
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and...axes thrown? Still dunno about this tactic, but perhaps that's another discussion? Why throw away your farm tool-turned weapon to the enemy who'll probably just dodge it?<br>
anyways....<br>
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Matt -<br>
my Dolabra is an Albion model. And I loves it! Everyone I show it to loves seeing it.<br>
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I almost panicked once, I actually tried using it a little while ago, musta hit a rock, I bent the forward top tip around about 1/2 inch C shape! AACK! But I was able to hammer that out..and then gave it a really good sharpening, as it wasn't as sharp as I had originally thought! Haven't been able to use it since...but I'm sure it'll do some damage to whatever it comes against...as long as it isn't my foot or leg or something...<br>
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For transport I use the really cool brass sheath on the axe and a piece of cork for the pick end...cause you still gotta be careful of the other end (see: foot or leg or something...) ouch. <p>-ANDY aka "Roman Dude" Svaviter in Modo, Fortiter in Re<br>
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www.higgins.org </p><i></i>
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#14
There are Roman axes on Trajan's column.<br>
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See here: cheiron.humanities.mcmast...ge.cgi?160 <p></p><i></i>
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#15
i think the axes on trajan´s column are the woodcutting type. The Rroman soldiers on the right are fighting with axes and dolabra. Therefore i agree with the explanation that the Romans apparently were surprised while they where at work <p>-------------------------------------------------------<br>
Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings -- they did it by killing all those who opposed them.<br>
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gr,
Jeroen Pelgrom
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