Punic War era swords

[mooreshawnm]

I believe this is my first post as my funny response a couple days ago was to a locked thread.

I recently caught the bug where it was determined that the acquisition of a Roman kit was a necessity. Asking on another website led me here among other places. Here is my question:

It seems accepted (at a cursory glance anyway) that the Gladius of the Imperial era was either a Pompey, Fulham or Mainz. What isn't discussed in detail....anywhere...are the details of the Punic era swords. Where would one go to determine what type were used (length, weight, blade shape ect)?

Shawn from the unconquered province of Wyoming.

[Michael J. Taylor]

The gladius hispaniensis, almost certainly introduced during the Second Punic War, has now been securely identified for over 20 years, see Quesada Sanz: "Gladius Hispaniensis, an Archaeological view from Iberia (JRMES 1997):  https://www.academia.edu/726930/_Gladius...om_Iberia_ 

I believe as of present, the earliest securely Roman gladii hispanienses come from Smihel, Slovenia, from the 170s BC. 

Prior to that, there is good evidence that Romans were using Greek style swords, as a xiphos appears on a Roman bronze currency bar (c. 250 BC). But there is also evidence that the Romans from the 4th century BC onwards were using La Tene style short swords, including one from San Vittore di Lazio with an inscription that proclaims it was "made in Rome."

[Ross Cowan]

Prior to that, there is good evidence that Romans were using Greek style swords, as a xiphos appears on a Roman bronze currency bar (c. 250 BC). But there is also evidence that the Romans from the 4th century BC onwards were using La Tene style short swords, including one from San Vittore di Lazio with an inscription that proclaims it was "made in Rome."

As Michael notes, the Romans were using Gallic-inspired swords prior to the adoption of the gladius Hispaniensis. See my article
'Gladius Gallicus' for a short introduction in English. See here for more detail on the intriguing Spada di San Vittore, and here for an excellent survey of swords in the 4th and 3rd cents BC.