Gladius length question

[Ptolemy Euergetes]

I am looking into buying the Depeeka gladius shown below. Armor venue lists it as 41inches total length but everywhere else I read says much shorter. Help me out guys how long is this sword? It's listed as the AH 3309

[Bryan]

A google search, here, has a bunch of listings on various websites that say 30 inches total.

[brennivs - tony drake]

By looking at a few sites that sell this sword 30" overall is mentioned, I think that is in its scabbard otherwise 28" would be the sword itself. I must laugh at 41" no way my Vimose sword in scabbard is 43 1/2" in total, so it is no Gladivs if its that length:woot: :lol: :lol: Liking your other threads ;-) good luck in your search :grin:
Regards Brennivs :lol:

[Ptolemy Euergetes]

Appreciate the quick responses. Armor venue contacted me back and apologized for the error. The sword is in fact 30 inches

[Augustus Janus]

It's an interesting model but it's just a modern representation and so far from historical reality that I would call it a fantasy or whimsical sword. There are only three basic Roman shapes (Mainz, Fulham and Pompeii) and this one isn't any of those three. A gladius is typically less than 23 inches blade length. Longer blades are spathae..

Regards

Jim

[Bryan]

The original Gladius Hispaniensis had a blade length of 25-27" (63-68cm). These were the swords used from their adoption in the 3rd Cent BC to the late 1st Cent. BC, when they seem to become replaced by a slightly shorter but wider and more waisted Mainz style. The Spathae was a later development, a longer cavalry blade as compared to the shorter Pompeii style infantry variants. Hundreds of years went by before the Gladius Hispaniensis sword was abandoned before the Spathae became common among the Roman cavalry and then infantry.

[img width=400]https://portalhistoria.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/cena_pagana_gladius.jpg[/img]

Here's some more information on it: Characteristics of the Xiphos verus Gladius