Late Roman knives and daggers

[Rado]

Ah darn, well let's see here... I'm thinking. In the 3rd century the Pugio died out by the time of Dura Europos I think. What belt find did you use?

I plan to make such as these third centuries belts models for our club needs.

[Paul Elliott]

Rado, on all the many many third century gravestone carvings of soldiers, none have daggers with them, yet daggers do turn up archaeologically. I have used an extra mushroom belt stud to act as a belt-frog, just like the early empire, but this is 'completely made-up'. Since I had great problems sitting down with this 30cm monster strapped solidly to my waist, I tend to prefer the use of a baldric for the 3rd century dagger. Because the big-framed pugios come in mid-second century, I would suggest that baldrics might even be used then in order to carry a pugio. But I've not looked into that Antonnine period very much.

I experimented like this:

[Paul Elliott]

Ah darn, well let's see here... I'm thinking. In the 3rd century the Pugio died out by the time of Dura Europos I think. What belt find did you use?

Part of a pugio blade was discovered at Dura c. 255 AD. I don't know what the date of the Kunzing dagger hoard is, though.

[Rado]

Thank you for your advice Paul!I have not accidentally provided 3th century pugio for all our Legion. During Excavations that are on occasion of Battle of Abritvs 251 A.D. are found many parts of the Roman poggio's. We will work actively to this topic!
So I can not agree with the claim that the typical 3-th sentry pugio are not used widely in the 3rd century legionaries equipment.Of course it is not used in the same quantities as the first and second centuries A.D.

I also thought that these mushroom fastener type are very appropriate.
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[Flavivs Aetivs]

Thank you for the information, Mithras and Rado. I think I would have to agree with the choice Mithras made, and improvise based on other examples.

@M. Demetrius
It depends. I generally consider 300 A.D. the beginning of Late Roman, which ends in 600 A.D. with the introduction of the Thematic Byzantine period for me, although my personal interest doesn't extend past about 487 A.D.

The Third Century (200-299 A.D.) I have often heard called the "Dominate" and I consider it so. Principate seems to be another word for the Early Imperial era from 0-199 A.D. and that is what I call it.

[PhilusEstilius]

Where Mark has given that link to late knives I have often wondered if this find I made some time ago is not part of one of these knife hand guards and it is made of bronze, excuse the poor pictures.
This piece is 40mm overall length, with a width of 10mm, the blade shoulder is 32mm, with a length for the tang at17mm.

[PhilusEstilius]

Where we look at this very fine replica made by Marcellus and his friend of the Mougins dagger it appears that some one decided to give it a nice decoration in the scabbard by putting a piece of an old sword decor' into it.

[PhilusEstilius]

Here are pictures of the original Mougins dagger

[Paul Elliott]

Oh very nice! I would like that...beautiful work.

[PhilusEstilius]

Paul.
It is indeed a very good replica and you should contact Marcellus for I'm sure it is available.

[Rado]

My first model of third century belt is finished and ready for use. I made the Pugio attaching with advice of Paul Elliott, With the mushroom type pugio hangers.

[Flavivs Aetivs]

Awesome stuff Rado

A 3rd Century Legio VI Impression is on my list of things to do (which means the Medievaldesign Dura Europos Tunic and Ring Belt, a Theilenholfen Helmet, among other things, all on my list to buy.)

[ROMan]

I actually wrote a blog on my dagger reconstruction.

I'm at home with a sinus infection, and not on my best form, but I have read once that the Kunzing finds were a stash of obsolete weapons, which seems a viable hypothesis to me. It occurred to me after having this one made and playing with it, that it is more like a mediaeval dagger, meant to pierce through light armour and past the chinks of heavy armour. Such narrow pieces of metal would not have the diagnostic presence of a pugio in the archaeological record. The only archaeological evidence I could find indicated that the dagger (or knife) was worn horizontally.

After checking, I realised that I refer to this in another blog, also.

[ROMan]

Ah darn, well let's see here... I'm thinking. In the 3rd century the Pugio died out by the time of Dura Europos I think. What belt find did you use?

I plan to make such as these third centuries belts models for our club needs.

Rado, have you seen the attached paper? I'm having one of these made. It seems to be the most useful publication of an almost complete set. I will be adding some loops from Dura Europos that match the loop on the "E" of this set.

[Rado]

There are a lot of good information in your website Robert! Thank you for the information!I plan to make this "VTERE FELIX" belt model .But I have no free time.I took other projects.