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avete omnes
I would like to know in what materials were the plates of the tiberius sword.I was sure that were bronze dorated but somebody tell me that are in bronze non dorated.please is only bronze or not?
thank you in advance for the help
Munazio
PierPaolo siercovich
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Munazio.
I have made this sword many times and I have always made the plates in brass, however if I'm not mistaken I think they may have been gilt but I would need to check this out.
Brian Stobbs
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ave
thank you for your response,the problem is that if you look the original the plates look like gold or golded.but if is brass it is a good notice because the scabbard will be not so expansive for do.
again thank Brian
PierPaolo siercovich
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Munazio,
It was originally thought that the scabbard was silvered and that the plates were gold. Thus many thought it was an expensive officers piece. It turns out that I have read that the scabbard is tinned and that the plates are just gilt brass. I have also read that the scabbared is tinned and the plates are just brass without gilding. Either way, it appears it is not that unique.
If you go to the British Museum website, you can order for free high quality pictures. They also have a discription of the sword and its parts.
"You have to laugh at life or else what are you going to laugh at?" (Joseph Rosen)
Paolo
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Munazio I have a reply from the British Museum on this;From the email
Title
Type Object
Title The Sword of Tiberius
Description
Iron sword and tinned bronze scabbard (sheath). This object illustrates the ceding of military victory to Augustus by Tiberius after a successful Alpine campaign.
Object Name
Name sword
Name sword-sheath
Materials
Material bronze
Material iron
Material tin
Subject
Subject military
Dimensions Type Value Units Comment
L (Length) 57.50 cm blade
W (Width) 7.00 cm blade
L (Length) 8.50 cm hilt (remaining)
T (Thickness) 0.40 - 1.00 cm blade
L (Length) 58.50 cm scabbard
W (Width) 8.70 cm scabbard
Production: Date
Date 15BC
(15 BC - 15 BC)
As you can see I could not pin them down on the plates, were they bronze/brass plated with gold or were they gold even though I asked for what the material was. To me it has to be plated at least and the top right corner of the top plate looks like it has coroded fom the back of the plate. The main scabbard is silvered bronze. This is a quick reply of to work now
D
Regards Brennivs
Woe Ye The Vanquished
Brennvs 390 BC
When you have all this why do you envy our mud huts
Caratacvs
Centvrio Princeps Brennivs COH I Dacorivm (Roma Antiqvia)
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I have made several of these plates and agree with the others. Embosses plates are of brass foil except the roundel with Augustus, which is casted. All silver coloured parts are tinned.
Date of the swords can never be 15 BC as it is Germanicus and Tiberius on the plates, it must be 15AD.
greetings
Maarten
Maarten Dolmans
Marcus Claudius Asclepiades
COHORS XV VOL. C. R.
CLASSIS AUGUSTA GERMANICA
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Interesting data from the museum. However, Tony it was also discussed in past posts that the scabbard is tinned not silvered and that the yellow parts are indeed brass.
Its just that anything yellow in original catalogs was always called bronze and thus it persists. Can it be bronze? Sure. However, given the amount of roman decoration in brass in this period I think it less likely that bronze was used. From what I recall, mostly cast objects were of bronze.
"You have to laugh at life or else what are you going to laugh at?" (Joseph Rosen)
Paolo
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This is the problem Doc When I first emailed them. I had to send pictures of the scabbard ect for them to answer my quire. The duty curator was put on to it and I gave every possible way it could have been made brass gold bronze ect even asking ie the plates made from Gold or bronze gold plated or brass gold plated or brass or bronze the answer came back as above. I ment tinned for the main scabbard :oops: But if it s brass then great
D
Regards Brennivs
Woe Ye The Vanquished
Brennvs 390 BC
When you have all this why do you envy our mud huts
Caratacvs
Centvrio Princeps Brennivs COH I Dacorivm (Roma Antiqvia)
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Maarten.
That is an interesting point that you have raised concerning the date of this sword, this has been a long standing discussion about this weapon 15 BC or AD 15. It has been thought by some that it is the soldier general Tiberius handing the victory over the Vindelicii 15 BC to the Emperor Augustus, however there is the other consideration that it is the general Germanicus handing a victory to the Emperor Tiberius AD 15.
I have to agree with you that it is Germanicus and the Emperor Tiberius, for the shield the Emperor is leaning on clearly states " Felicitas Tiberius " and this Felicitas would have been awarded to the Emperor and the State.
Then the Medallion at the centre of the scabbard is clearly Tiberius and not Augusus in fact there is nothing what ever about Augustus on this sword at all, the discussion I think came about by Martin Henig considering the Amazon warrior as being in conection with the victory of Tiberius 15 BC.
Brian Stobbs
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I concur with Maarten and Philius, 15 AD.
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