Proper Kopis?

[Gaius Colletti]

I am looking for a kopis, for my ever slowly being assembled hoplite impression for the Persian Wars. Can anyone help me identify what kopis would be most accurate, I have seen both straight and curve blades kopis in reenactment and historically (although perhaps some of the more straight bladed ones were falcatas?). Can anyone give me examples of what would be accurate? The kopis seems to have even less of a uniform design than the gladius, so this Roman reenactor is a bit lost. Thanks

[Dithrambus]

I have looked at many for my own hoplite impression Matt, most of those you will find 'off the rack' are questionable at best, the 'Greek kopis' from Windlass Steelcraft is almost passable but needs a new grip and scabbard:

http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?...reek+Kopis


There are various custom made pieces available that are far more accurate and desirable, I have decided to wait until my budget allows for something like this:

http://www.manningimperial.com/item.php?...=1&c_id=14

This one isn't completely terrible, but doesn't come with scabbard so you would need to have one made:

http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?...Head+Kopis

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Thanks for that link, mark! That must be new, i didn't see it on the site the other day!
Almost enought to make me want one instead of a xiphos! 8-)

[Gaius Colletti]

Yes thanks Mark, the Manning is of course beautiful, unfortunately it cost more than my entire Roman impression lol.

What about this kopis, I know it is stainless steel (unfortunately it seems like a lot of kopis are), but it does weigh 2 pounds so it can't be too flimsy (or could it? :mrgreen: )
http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?...reek+Kopis

I like this falcata for the price, but it is too far removed from 5th Century Greece:http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=IOT031D&name=Iberian+Falcata

[Dithrambus]

I think it depends on where the individual re-enactor wishes to draw the line, none of the 'off the rack' kopis offerings are historically 'correct', the Windlass comes close in overall shape but for some reason it has chrome steel spacers in the grip and the scabbard looks more akin to something one might choose for an 18th-19th century Native American impression. :mrgreen:

The kopis scabbard as seen in period art looks much the same as the xiphos scabbard ie straight as opposed to curved. Which you will notice Craig Sitch of Manning Imperial has beautifully recreated and yes it is very expensive and it will be sometime before I could afford to go that route (actually I'm a little torn between the Manning kopis and xiphos, really sucks to not be wealthy! lol)..

Of all of those that I've seen and believe me I have looked everywhere! The Windlass would be perhaps the easiest to reconfigure, just need to rework the grip and have a scabbard made, though it is rather small, not much larger than the average fighting knife but still within the size range of the period kopis which could be anywhere from knife size to full length swords.