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Chairete filoi,
Could any one provide me with an idea of how Kopis was suspended?
Spyros Kaltikopoulos
Honor to those who in the life they lead
define and guard a Thermopylae.
Never betraying what is right,
consistent and just in all they do
but showing pity also, and compassion
Kavafis the Alexandrian
Hi, Spyros,
I would imagine this could vary. Baldrics might be fabric (see my post on "Oh, I'm happy") or leather. I use a red-and black cord for my Xiphos and I think there's lots of evidence for this, as well as for fabric strips and leather straps.
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You are propably right. Leather it is.
But I was wondering more about the suspension system, are there any findings that people might know of how high the sword was carried? I've seen pictures of hoplites carring their xifoi nearly to the chest. I can't imagine the same for a Kopis, but you never know.
Also, did they just use knots, or rings to atach the sword to the baldric?
Spyros Kaltikopoulos
Honor to those who in the life they lead
define and guard a Thermopylae.
Never betraying what is right,
consistent and just in all they do
but showing pity also, and compassion
Kavafis the Alexandrian
Your kopis' scabbard has rings for attaching a baldric, as do the commercially made xiphos scabbards - it seems to be pretty universal. You can knot cord or leather thongs onto these rings, or thread leather or fabric through the ring and then sew (or rivet, in the case of leather) it to itself.
On the other hand, there are various ways of attaching straps directly to the scabbard, if you wanted to do it that way. I find the xiphos is a bugger when I'm marching - wear it too low, and it bangs against your leg. I wear it high, but find this can put it in the way of the porpax of my shield! I think maybe an off-centre porpax is the answer.
An Etruscan warrior from Italy is depicted wearing his sword practically in the middle of his chest.
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Thank you once more.
Spyros Kaltikopoulos
Honor to those who in the life they lead
define and guard a Thermopylae.
Never betraying what is right,
consistent and just in all they do
but showing pity also, and compassion
Kavafis the Alexandrian
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The sword's handle, was about 5 fingers bellow the chest... The "Telamonas" (shoulder's strap) should have the exact length, so the sword's handle will be in the right high - ALWAYS left, of course!
About the notorious SPARTAN "Xyale" sword (late Spartan short sword - very "similar"/close to "Gladius"; some says that Romans took the idea/design of that sword and advanced it)... It was a short sword, with a blade long about 20 cm (a long dagger, we could say), both edges sharp, with a "leaf" shape... Are you familiar with some short triangular Mycenaean sword of "Bronze's Age"? Well, close to that, but with "leaf" shape...
Historics & researchers believes, that this "Xyale" sword was NOT ALWAYS hanging with "Telamonas" from the shoulder. Some hoplites were HOLDING the sword from the center of scabbard, with their LEFT HAND (under the "Aspis)! In a close-combat situation, the hoplite now could EASILY DRAW fast the small sword and try a leathal blow!
Also, the hoplites that had the weapon hanging from their shoulders, used a SMALL LENGTH "Telamonas"; with the smaller "Telamonas", the draw was VERY FAST and they could have the chance of a "draw-and-strike" blow...
Hope I helped...
aka Romilos
"Ayet`, oh Spartan euandro... koroi pateron poliatan... laia men itin provalesthe,
...dori d`eutolmos anhesthe, ...mi phidomenoi tas zoas. Ouh gar patrion ta Sparta!"
- The Lacedaimonian War Tune -
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Lupus, it was my understanding that xyale was a scythe like knife, very much like the Kopis in shape only smaller, about 20-25cm in lenght.
Spyros Kaltikopoulos
Honor to those who in the life they lead
define and guard a Thermopylae.
Never betraying what is right,
consistent and just in all they do
but showing pity also, and compassion
Kavafis the Alexandrian
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Not AT ALL!... I have in a book of mine, a VERY RARE photo (probably the ONLY!) of "Xyale" sword!
It looks like the classic straight hoplite shord, VERY... "scrubby" (almost alike in the width, but 20 cm ONLY in length) with a "leaf" shape 2-edges blade (wide in the handle, thin in the middle, wide and "curved" in the edge... The hadle was similar with the classic straight sword...
I'm pretty sure about that, according OF COURSE with the book...
I think ALSO, in "Osprey: The Greeks" book (you know, you have it also, I've seen illutrations of it that you posted before), THERE IS that picture that I'm talking about, in the first pages... I'm not sure if THIS is the picture, but I think so...
aka Romilos
"Ayet`, oh Spartan euandro... koroi pateron poliatan... laia men itin provalesthe,
...dori d`eutolmos anhesthe, ...mi phidomenoi tas zoas. Ouh gar patrion ta Sparta!"
- The Lacedaimonian War Tune -
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Now that is interesting. Could you provide me with the title of the book? Is it a greek publication?
Spyros Kaltikopoulos
Honor to those who in the life they lead
define and guard a Thermopylae.
Never betraying what is right,
consistent and just in all they do
but showing pity also, and compassion
Kavafis the Alexandrian
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No! The book that I'm talking about is an English publication; right now - DAMN IT! - I had borrow that book to a NAVY friend of mine (a TRUE Spartan from Laconia!), a nice-guy sailor, now in Spain with his battleship!
When he comes back (August), I'll take it back, tell you the tittle and perhapse SCAN the photo aswell!
aka Romilos
"Ayet`, oh Spartan euandro... koroi pateron poliatan... laia men itin provalesthe,
...dori d`eutolmos anhesthe, ...mi phidomenoi tas zoas. Ouh gar patrion ta Sparta!"
- The Lacedaimonian War Tune -
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Ok Thank you in advance
Spyros Kaltikopoulos
Honor to those who in the life they lead
define and guard a Thermopylae.
Never betraying what is right,
consistent and just in all they do
but showing pity also, and compassion
Kavafis the Alexandrian
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But... why you care about so much? You'll gonna "be" a "Peltast" or "Ekdromos"!!!
Hahaha!
Anyway...
aka Romilos
"Ayet`, oh Spartan euandro... koroi pateron poliatan... laia men itin provalesthe,
...dori d`eutolmos anhesthe, ...mi phidomenoi tas zoas. Ouh gar patrion ta Sparta!"
- The Lacedaimonian War Tune -
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I must admit some confusion here. I thought the xyale was a spear shaping tool with a curved blade ( See this lovely Czech reproduction
[url:3tmym0x0]http://www.livinghistory.cz/images/uploads/lakedaimon2005_10_06/lakedaimon5.jpg[/url] )
and the Spartan xyale was larger than those from the rest of Hellas. But the laconian xiphos / Spartan short sword was considered encheiridion / dagger type affair. Again a lovely example from the Czech site based on the Osprey photo.
[url:3tmym0x0]http://www.livinghistory.cz/images/uploads/lakedaimon2005_10_06/lakedaimon1.jpg[/url]
I'll find the Osprey image for comparison.
Peter Raftos
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The Osprey image:
Peter Raftos
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Let me try that again (crosses fingers):
Peter Raftos
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