Roman Battle Axe??!

[Anonymous]

Thanks, Andrew, that's very interesting. Other translations of Arrian I've seen suggested that it was the cutting edge that was circular, not "spikes": I must have a look at the Greek some time.<br>
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A round cutting-edge might indeed produce an axe something like the Gladiator one that started all this; but Roman axes in art (the Trajan's Column scene Gaius cited, the Notitia drawings) mostly seem to have straight cutting-edges, so the "spikes" idea is worth looking into. <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Agit, I'd be wary of resource material from 1875. Our historians today are much better informed. <p></p><i></i>

[mcbishop]

A halbard/axe blade (about 240mm wide) from Oberhalbstein (Switzerland) has recently been published by Jürg Rageth, along with slingshot of <em>legiones III</em>, <em>X</em>, and <em>XII</em> and other assorted militaria:<br>
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Rageth, J. 2004: 'Frührömische Militaria aus dem Oberhalbstein GR – Belege für den Alpenfeldzug?', <em>Jahrbuch der Schweizerischen Gesellschaft für Ur- und Frügeschichte</em> <strong>87</strong>, 297–303<br>
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Mike Bishop <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Andy,<br>
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Quote:</em></strong><hr>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?<hr><br>
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I don't know about the Romans chucking them about, but the Saxons used a small throwing aze called a Francisca:<br>
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<img src="http://www.sca.org.au/lochac/artsci/images/Image1.gif" style="border:0;"/><br>
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<img src="http://www.battle1066.com/pics/shields.jpg" style="border:0;"/><br>
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One of the Saxons on the right of the lower image , just by the archer, has a Francisca. <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Yeah, weren't the Franks famous for using the francisca? (I've always wondered if there was an etymological connection, btw, or one between "Saxon" and the knife called the "Saex," though I don't know of any evidence for one.)<br>
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But, keep in mind that the true francisca wasn't a typical farm implement, but rather a purpose-designed weapon. (The one's I've seen, like the archeological find above, have a very different-shaped head: almost tomahawk-like, in fact.)<br>
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Aaron <p></p><i></i>

[Crispvs]

I have always been led to believe that the francisca was called that because it was a distinctivly Frankish weapon. The Saxon=seax idea has been around for a long time but I don't know whether it is a true etimological link or an assumption based on the Frank=francisca link.<br>
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Crispvs <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

The axe in the original post looks very much like examples from the 12th and 13th century AD, and I'm pretty sure that's what it's copied from. <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

@mcbishop: Could you post it? It may be a Raetic waraxe, especially since this axes are called usually "Hellebardenäxte" or "asce alabarde".<br>
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The Alpine tribes were famous for their use of waraxes, as little others did so in Europe in this timeframe.<br>
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To cite Horaz:<br>
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…videre Raeti bella sub Alpibus<br>
Drusum gerentem; Vindelici – quibus<br>
mos unde deductus per omne<br>
tempus Amazonia securi<br>
dextras obarment, quarere distuli,<br>
nec scire fas est omnia - …<br>
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Horaz (Odi, IV, IV, 17-22)<br>
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It may be also possible that Raetic auxiliary troops might have carried - for some time - such weapons, although there is, as far as I know no evidence for this. The Raetians did quickly adopt "new" weapons, like the Pila, after having used the north-italic variant since 300 BC, or the Celtic longsword. But they never ceased to use their waraxes until the Roman invasion...<br>
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Perhaps I might be able to host a "Raetic" Waraxe via photobucket in the next days...<br>
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P.S: Hello<br>
<br>
OA<br>
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<p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=oleanderardens>OLEANDER ARDENS</A> at: 9/7/04 7:06 pm<br></i>