Sword of Tiberius

[Nathan Ross]

My 'arms and armour' knowledge is sadly not what it could be, so please forgive me if this is a silly question!<br>
The link below (if it works) should display a picture from the Roman-Britain.org site of what I presume to be a reconstruction of the Mainz 'Sword of Tiberius':<br>
<br>
www.roman-britain.org/pla...ladius.gif<br>
<br>
This version - the scabbard aside - seems quite different to other reconstructions of the sword that I've seen elsewhere (i.e the 'teardrop' pommel and 'oblong' hilt), or from other 'Mainz' gladius models. Can anyone tell me where this unusual hilt/pommel design originates, and whether it is believed to be contemporaneous with the scabbard (early first century)? <p></p><i></i>

[Daniel S Peterson]

Nathan,<br>
the elongated tear drop pommel is a very early reconstruction made for the Romisch Germanisch Zentral Museum RGZM. A more accurate reconstruction would probably be the Rheingonheim sword.<br>
<br>
I was able to take a rubber mold off the old RGZM scabbard, and is now my personal one for 1st century AD displays.<br>
<br>
Dan <p></p><i></i>

[Nathan Ross]

A shame about that teardrop pommel, if it is as inauthentic as you suggest - it's a strikingly elegant design. The other 'Mainz' gladii I've seen all seem to have the rather flattened ovoid pommel, like the Rheingonheim sword. An exception is this, another version of the 'Tiberius':<br>
<br>
museums.ncl.ac.uk/archive...ainz1a.htm<br>
<br>
...which has very odd hilt decoration, and a spherical pommel. Is this based on the original in some way? <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

We have made it numerous times, one is on display at Sword & Stone at Burbank, CA.<br>
818-5626548<br>
Available with regular or damascene blade <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

<br>
dear friends,<br>
<br>
I agree with Dan, the handle of the so called Tiberiusswords most probably looked like the Rheingonheim handle.I have been fortunate to study the original very closely in the BM in London.<br>
In the past I have made several repousse sets of the Tiberiusscabbard. One is to be seen on the webside of Leg XIIII (RMRC). The plates look very much like the ones Dan uses, but are like the original made of bronze foil (0.06 mm thick). To make them I have cut a positive in gypsum and wax and had a bronze mold cast. That took me about 200 hours. Now I can make a set in about 20 hours. I will put the picture of the plates on the web shortly.<br>
<br>
Greetings<br>
<br>
Arpvar<br>
<br>
Greetings<br>
<br>
Maarten <p></p><i></i>

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Hello Nathan,
The sword in the picture you have posted looks to me to be a copy made by Brian Stobbs. It is likely that he only made the scabbard, the sword being supplied by the person who commisioned the scabbard.
Brians workmanship is excellent.

B. Angel