dacian falx

[M. Demetrius]

Why not a squad of falxmen? They could cover for each other. Imagine being ganged up on by three or four of them, all trying for different openings on you around the same time. Grim!

[Magnus]

I'm not convinced it was that effective as a weapon to open gaps in the line, nor do I think it entirely lives up to it's reputation. While it did do a lot of damage, the danger of being counter attacked and lacking armour on the dacian's part didn't make for a good combination.

[brennivs - tony drake]

Found this pic on the internet of me I think it says it all :woot: :evil: :oops: :whistle:

Regards Brennivs illy:

[Robert]

Hmm, strange looking scabbard!! I would have though a sleeve type would be more practical, as this is really massive. I read your previous post that said it is based on a carving?

For the type I did with the longer handle, I do wonder how it was carried. Would suspect it had a sleeve like scabbard.

[brennivs - tony drake]

Robert I can understand your thoughts on the scabbard. When I made it in the late 90s I was at the conference that David Sim showed his Falx which if I am right Gaivs is after the strike force he mentioned so I will see if I have the paper on it. I had a deep discution with David on the Falx and compared mine with his sword. Anywhere my concern was how does a Dacian serving in the Army carry his sword I have seen 3 depictions of swords from a pure Roman context dedications which show the sword straight with the tip curved so I believe, this is the sword type that was carried by Dacians serving in the army. I have 2 of them at hand





The 3rd dedication comes from Birdoswald on a Alter which is the one I used to make mine I just dont have it on the computer at the moment. If you have a maching pack I have found this is a good way to carry it also I can ditch the scabbard as I have a buckle on the baldric. If I can find it I have a pic of me in Spain carrying sword with my marching pack, also I can draw the sword out of the scabbard as fast as a Gladivs , Which is to me important in combat. I will see about other pics ect
Regards Brennivs :woot:

[66kbm]

Having handled Byron's Falx, I must say that it was very comfortable in hand, and I was impressed with its size.
That over, it felt like it really wanted to do some damage when in ones hand. I think Robert made this one. Balanced and designed to destroy anything in its way. Not until the invention of the Chain gun in the '90's did life become as bad again.
Real nasty bit of gear.
Kevin

[M. Demetrius]

I'm no expert, but I don't know how in the world a scabbard could be made for a blade shaped with a longish straight blade and a curved end. I can't see how it could be put in/out.

[66kbm]

No way a scabbard.....see pic
Kevin

[brennivs - tony drake]

Demetrivs I can say that the scabbard in the photo works the blade is on the right side and can be drawen with one hand,Here is a pic of it out of the sacbbard.

Gaivs Falx is the one normaly depicted as carried by Dacians and with no Marivs muke to worry about, you can wrap it up and sling it across your back. So I think the Romans to conform with the mobility of the army romanised the Falx so it could be carried as a normal sword, but still keeping it as effective. :evil:
Regards Brennivs :whistle:

[Titus Manlius Verus]

Without the intention of getting too off topic, do you all think it would be plausible that after Trajan's Dacian war, auxiliaries from Dacia would have wielded a falx? Roman auxilia were famous for using a wide variety of weapons. If the Romans were as terrified of the falx as we'd like to believe, wouldn't it only be logical for the Romans to turn this fearsome weapon against their enemies?

The above picture of the gentleman holding the falx gave me the idea.

[M. Demetrius]

the scabbard in the photo works

For some reason, that photo didn't come through when I'd originally posted about scabbard. I see how that works now. It's a big ol' thing, ain't it? What I was thinking was a curved blade, like, say, a modern cavalry saber, which matches the curve of the blade. Of course that couldn't work with a falx (or any other blade unless the curve went the whole length of the blade.)

...but I see TWO hands there...does it take both to draw the weapon?? :eek: :grin:

[Gunthamund Hasding]

I just found an interesting paper about 2 falxes found in Romania,
is in english and available here:
https://www.academia.edu/4995368/Caius_S..._of_Divici

some other interesting papers being published by Catalin Borangic:
https://uab-ro.academia.edu/BorangicCatalin

[mcbishop]

Without the intention of getting too off topic, do you all think it would be plausible that after Trajan's Dacian war, auxiliaries from Dacia would have wielded a falx? Roman auxilia were famous for using a wide variety of weapons. If the Romans were as terrified of the falx as we'd like to believe, wouldn't it only be logical for the Romans to turn this fearsome weapon against their enemies?.

Well there has to be a reason (beyond pure nostalgia) that the Dacians at Birdoswald were still depicting the thing on reliefs in AD 219, over a hundred years after the Dacian Wars. Perhaps it hid the truth that they only had shepherd's crooks and some Kendal mint cake by that time ;-)

Mike Bishop