Dimensions of Dacian Falx?

[Paullus Scipio]

Yup !!
Three distinct "types" of enemy are shown on the Tropaeum, viz :-

Bearded barbarians, generally in loose baggy trousers, naked to the waist and hair dressed in the germanic 'Suebian knot' style.These are often (but not always) shown unshielded with the two-handed falx.They sometimes wear 'Paenula' type cloaks. - these are identified as gemanic Bastarnae

The second type wear knee-length tunics over tight trousers, with splits in each side of the tunic and are more or less identical to the Dacians shown on Trajan's column, including some cap (pilleus) wearers, reckoned to be Dacian nobility.

The third type have long, tight fitting tunics/robes which open at the front, high waisted,over tight trousers and boots - these are identified as Sarmatian 'Roxolani'.

[Tarbicus]

I thought the Dacians were actually a collective of different peoples anyway? Northern Thracians, Germanic and Celtic tribes, and nomadic horsemen. It's more of a collective name for the tribes in Dacia. Technically, isn't the falx Dacian?

http://www.fanaticus.org/DBA/armies/II52.html
http://www.gk.ro/sarmizegetusa/eng/falx.htm

[lup_alb]

The Dacian kingdom was an union of tribes of different origins, Thracian, Scythian, Celtic, Sarmatian and Germanic. For example, here in my area, Hunedoara County, where both dacian and roman Sarmisegetusa are located, the tribe that settled this region was of mixed celtic and scythian origin with some later germanic influences. I have to ask the archeologists here at the Corvin Castle more about this. They have discovered an unique dacian burial field right in the castle's garden and on top of a nearby hill a dacian fortess that seems to be used also in early medieval times. Read more about this here: http://arheologie.ulbsibiu.ro/publicati ... opolis.htm

[brennivs - tony drake]

Sorry I missed this one :oops: This is my Falx I hope you can see the length of the sword with the ruler .The length of the blade is from excavated finds and the hilt from the Birdoswald dedication.
Regards Brennivs

[Ironhand]

Very nice Tony. Wish I would have seen the hilt before I sent the order in to Mark Morrow, but I'd hate to copy you. Very beautiful. I'm already picturing it rending a shield asunder.

[brennivs - tony drake]

I use this as a Dacian in the Auxilla. I hope to make a pure Dacian version some time soon,mine has a scabbard and can be drawen as quick as a Gladivs hock: lol: :lol:
Regards Brennivs

[lup_alb]

Here are some falxes and sicas made by us. There are some spear heads and some round dacian fibulae also. The falxes and sicas still need a leather string wrapping and some bronze fittings. An yes, a falx or a sica can be drawn very quickly from a scabbard if the scabbard is made well. I know since I use a sica as a close range surprise weapon when fighting shield to shield ...

[brennivs - tony drake]

Lup_alb lovely swords hock: I think I will make a Sica to replace my knife as a secondry weapon,also like the Fibula I use a Dragonese brooch.Thanks for showing them
Regards Brennivs

[Falcon]

Salvete
here is a photobucket with scans of a Romanian find

http://as.photoprintit.de/web/39725842/ ... aUxk9RBYSX

with letters from Gelu Florea
You have to download them and scale them up, it's a bad scan

[brennivs - tony drake]

D D
Regards Brennivs

[Casmin]

Not certain of dimensions, but looking at the Adamklissi metopes you can get a guestimate of size in relation to the men swinging them around!

There's also a lot of variety shown on the metopes when it comes to shapes too.

Just a random observation on my part, but the two on the right look similar to naginata.

[Felix]

The naginata has its cutting edge on the longer, convex surface; as I understand the falx, its cutting edge is on the shorter concave side. The outline may be similar, but the intent very different.

[brennivs - tony drake]

Felix that is right it is used like a sythe,the one I made is designed to decapitate as well as cut through helmets.Others as in the last post shows various shaped Falx all of which a ment to do serious damage to the body.
Regards Brennivs

[Ironhand]

Yes, I second that it is used like a scythe. It is pretty as close in function as an axe as you can get with a sword, though mark me the weighting and balance etc. is different. Unlike most swords you probably would not worry as much about damaging the edge (you still wouldn't parry with the edge, but you're more likely to try to batter through a shield or try a cut on armour). Now the rhomphaia is a slightly different animal because of its tendency to be straighter and a different balance. It can be used with more conventional two handed sword techniques only with fact that it is single-edged in mind. I have not used a reproduction falx though I have one ordered, but I have used a kuhkri for chopping work and it cuts wonderfully.

[Tarbicus]

Tests with the falx show that even if it wouldn't penetrate a modified Roman helmet, it would almost certainly break the Roman's neck through compression with a downward stroke. Can't remember where I read it, but I definitely did, and the author learned a thing or two about its use. Bear in mind it was more than just a cutting weapon, and its form, material, and how it is used makes it a very high velocity weapon.