Sword, I century AD: a new photograph !

[Octavianus]

And, if I can make a little bit of self-promotion... 8)

Armillum's blade 65, total length 82, Mambrilla, 2008
D D

[marcos]

hi Octavianus,
I understand you write something about gladii, isn'it ? If so , I would like to read it, i'm always interested in new studies about gladii and pugiones.

just for curiosity, here a pic of an hispaniensis blade = 42 cm and grip made from bone

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Tarbicus , is nor easy to expalain in my bad english , but I'm going to try.
As we know , ancient weapons had not rigorously same peculiarities , and is impossible to find a gladius exactly selfsame than another. Is not like modern weapons ; all M16 guns are of course stictly the some thus if possible to say that it is an m16.
I want to say that , studing ancient gladii or helmets or pugiones and so on, is often a question of feeling.
An hispaniensis has not that shape , is more "soft and flexuose" in the edge, never has that kind of double point , and is not so oddly waist. And the pommel is yet further strange, too big.

here a shape which I want to mean (blade 60 cm , total 75 cm.)


In it , and in the previous one , you can see what I try to mean with "soft and flexuose".
If you compare these three swords , you can feel some differences between them, especially in the tips.

[marcos]

second pic failure
I try again

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Nice pictures Marcos!

Would it be possible to get a close up of that handle/grip, please?

I would love that on my new hispaniensis!

[Bruno Bazzani]

I'm interested , is possible to see more detailed pics , of the blade too?

I'll check next week (I'm traveling now).

I've also asked more details to the team, who is in Egypt at present.

[marcos]

Nice pictures Marcos!

Would it be possible to get a close up of that handle/grip, please?

I would love that on my new hispaniensis!

of course, here a closer picture




is made frome bone , 8.5 x 2.5 cm , tickness a bit thin , and is possible to see carved on it a woman with a long dress.

The blade is highly hand - light , very strong but only 420 gr (0.92 lb) heavy ; a masterwork ! You can have it in your hand for a long long time without to be tired.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

That is great, thank you Marcos!

The weighting sounds very much what you would expect for a weapon
of this type! Not a hacking bar but a tool of war!

[marcos]

Not a hacking bar but a tool of war!

that's is highly true. I often assert that normally our perception of gladii is wrong, not as they were but as we want it would be : enormous and terrific , very "macho" . Rambo had an huge M60 , and would not be the some with a little machine pistole.

Thus we see modern reproductions long 70 cm (27.5 in.) and more , weighing 2 kg (4,5 lbs), but if you handle those for not more 15 minutes your arm get over !
I guess in a real battle one wuld be the first dieing .

Gladii are short , with the blade normally not more than 55 cm. (21,6 in.), weighing up to 1,2 kg (2,6 lbs) , not more often below.
Tools made to using to fight for own life , not to make cinema.

[Bruno Bazzani]

Sorry for the delay.

Dating: first century AD was just a provisional dating based on the first comparison we found for the pommel: a relief from Palmyra (see pictures).
At that time the blade was still covered by the scabbard remains.
Now, after the restoration, it can be passed to a specialist to be studied.

Context: unfortunately the sword has been found almost on the surface, in a very disturbed context. Moreover it wasn't inside the area being excavated since 2004. The few pottery sherds found still have to be studied by a ceramicist.
BTW: we are currently looking for a skilled and keen ceramicist ! :wink:

[Thersites]

Well... I did pottery in Egypt for three years!Even published a book on it.. but unfortunately it was Third Intermediate Period and Saite from Ehnassia el Medina-Herakleopolis Magna, both marl and silt clays. Not much in the way of later ptolemaic and hellenistic black glaze, however.

But Dimeh... it was incredible... those heaps of sherds all over the place!
I got too old for that job

[Crispvs]

You could do worse than contacting Vivian Swan of Swan Pottery. She has done quite a lot of work on pottery styles associated with military units.

Crispvs

[Bruno Bazzani]

Weight is 1.3 KG (without guard and handle which are missing).