Roman weapons
Huius de gladio memento, amici, viam ad hominis cor per viscera ferre!
With the sword, remember my friend, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach!
With the sword, remember my friend, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach!
Gladius sword
The legionary gladius is a short double-edged pointed sword primarily used for stabbing, but also for cutting and blocking. Unusual for a stabbing-sword it has no blood-runnels (grooves that let air into the wound preventing flesh clamping onto the blade) so requires a vicious twist to pull free. It is worn on the soldier’s right side using a baldric, or diagonal leather strap, attached to three of the four rings on the scabbard. The baldric passes over the left shoulder and underneath the soldier’s belt to hold it in place. It was used in conjunction with the shield, and the sword could stab out between gaps from the safety of a shield wall. As the barbarian long-swords needed to be raised to strike downwards, this left the enemy body exposed to a short stabbing thrust at the kill-spots of the throat, armpit and groin main arteries. The Roman aim was to kill the enemy as quickly and efficiently as possible. The Romans fought together, so that one soldier might simply block to hold an enemy's sword, leaving his adjacent comrade to deal the death blow. Or, the front row might act as blockers, allowing the second row to step forward to make the kill, and then back again. This acted as a saw-tooth cutting through the enemy in swathes, so that a small disciplined army could cut through a horde up to ten times its size. Any of the following types of swords may be used by Leg VI Ferrata soldiers.
Gladius Hispaniensis (Spanish sword) was the original large, heavy leaf-shaped blade, used from 200-20 20 BC. Sword length ~75–85 cm (blade ~60–68 cm by ~5 cm wide) weighing ~900 g with a wooden hilt.
Mainz Gladius (named for the find at the permanent Roman camp of Moguntiacum, probably 13 BC) has a slight waist running the length of the blade to a long point. Sword length ~65–70 cm (blade ~50–55 cm by ~7 cm wide) weighing ~800 g with a wooden hilt.
Fulham Gladius (dredged from the Thames near Fulham, so dated after the British invasion of Aulus Plautius in 43 AD) is slightly narrower than the Mainz, and with a triangular tip. Sword length ~65–70 cm (blade ~50–55 cm by ~6 cm wide) weighing ~700 g with a wooden hilt.
Pompeii Gladius (four copies found in Pompeii, buried in AD 79) is short with parallel cutting edges and a triangular tip. Sword length ~60–65 cm (blade length ~45–50 cm by ~5 cm wide) weighing ~700 g with a wooden hilt. Over the years the Pompeii got longer, these later versions are referred to as semi-spathas. The Mainz and Pompeii are the two main types, often found together, and 4th century legionaries often carried the earlier model.
Spatha (around 200 AD) was a long cavalry sword, needing the extra reach to strike from horseback, that began to replace the gladius. Due to the longer draw required, the spatha hung from the soldier’s left side, usually by means of a much wider baldric decorated with openwork fittings.
Click on image for full-size
The legionary gladius is a short double-edged pointed sword primarily used for stabbing, but also for cutting and blocking. Unusual for a stabbing-sword it has no blood-runnels (grooves that let air into the wound preventing flesh clamping onto the blade) so requires a vicious twist to pull free. It is worn on the soldier’s right side using a baldric, or diagonal leather strap, attached to three of the four rings on the scabbard. The baldric passes over the left shoulder and underneath the soldier’s belt to hold it in place. It was used in conjunction with the shield, and the sword could stab out between gaps from the safety of a shield wall. As the barbarian long-swords needed to be raised to strike downwards, this left the enemy body exposed to a short stabbing thrust at the kill-spots of the throat, armpit and groin main arteries. The Roman aim was to kill the enemy as quickly and efficiently as possible. The Romans fought together, so that one soldier might simply block to hold an enemy's sword, leaving his adjacent comrade to deal the death blow. Or, the front row might act as blockers, allowing the second row to step forward to make the kill, and then back again. This acted as a saw-tooth cutting through the enemy in swathes, so that a small disciplined army could cut through a horde up to ten times its size. Any of the following types of swords may be used by Leg VI Ferrata soldiers.
Gladius Hispaniensis (Spanish sword) was the original large, heavy leaf-shaped blade, used from 200-20 20 BC. Sword length ~75–85 cm (blade ~60–68 cm by ~5 cm wide) weighing ~900 g with a wooden hilt.
Mainz Gladius (named for the find at the permanent Roman camp of Moguntiacum, probably 13 BC) has a slight waist running the length of the blade to a long point. Sword length ~65–70 cm (blade ~50–55 cm by ~7 cm wide) weighing ~800 g with a wooden hilt.
Fulham Gladius (dredged from the Thames near Fulham, so dated after the British invasion of Aulus Plautius in 43 AD) is slightly narrower than the Mainz, and with a triangular tip. Sword length ~65–70 cm (blade ~50–55 cm by ~6 cm wide) weighing ~700 g with a wooden hilt.
Pompeii Gladius (four copies found in Pompeii, buried in AD 79) is short with parallel cutting edges and a triangular tip. Sword length ~60–65 cm (blade length ~45–50 cm by ~5 cm wide) weighing ~700 g with a wooden hilt. Over the years the Pompeii got longer, these later versions are referred to as semi-spathas. The Mainz and Pompeii are the two main types, often found together, and 4th century legionaries often carried the earlier model.
Spatha (around 200 AD) was a long cavalry sword, needing the extra reach to strike from horseback, that began to replace the gladius. Due to the longer draw required, the spatha hung from the soldier’s left side, usually by means of a much wider baldric decorated with openwork fittings.
Click on image for full-size
Pugio dagger
The pugio (dagger) has a wide, leaf-shaped blade and a simple handle constructed of alternating layers of metal and wood or bone. The scabbard is made of thin metal sheeting soldered at the sides, or of wood with metal strips along the edges and across the middle like a gladius scabbard. The scabbard generally had four suspension rings, but only the top two were used to hang the pugio from a pair of hinged “frogs” on the soldier’s belt.
The pugio (dagger) has a wide, leaf-shaped blade and a simple handle constructed of alternating layers of metal and wood or bone. The scabbard is made of thin metal sheeting soldered at the sides, or of wood with metal strips along the edges and across the middle like a gladius scabbard. The scabbard generally had four suspension rings, but only the top two were used to hang the pugio from a pair of hinged “frogs” on the soldier’s belt.
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Pilum javelin
The pilum (javelin) comprises of a long iron head with a small point, attached to a wooden shaft, and overall 1.6-2.1 metres in length. The wood shaft is about 1.2 m long by 20-30 mm diameter, topped by a wooden block slotted to receive the metal tang, and capped with an iron ferrule or collett secured by 2 little iron wedges. Two or three rivets hold the tang in place. The pilum was probably thrown at a range of about 30 metres, before the Roman line charged. The small point could penetrate a shield and wound the man behind it, or even pierce armor. It was not easy to remove, and the weight would render an enemy shield useless. The iron shank was designed to bend, so that an enemy could not throw it back. After the battle the Romans could gather their pila and straighten them for reuse. During the Republic, each legionary carried two pila, one light and one heavy. During the Empire, two identical pila are carried. , but that there was no longer a “heavy” and a “light”. There were other types of pila as well. The second type had a socketed head, and a third type, less well-known, has a spike tang. The classic pilum seems to have fallen out of use by the mid-third century, although many other derivative forms of socketed javelin continued in heavy use right into the Byzantine era. |
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Spear
The thrusting spear (hasta) was an auxiliary weapon, completely different from the pilum. Legionaries in the 3rd century began using hastae as well as an extremely long (3 metre or more) spear similar to the Macedonian sarissa.
The thrusting spear (hasta) was an auxiliary weapon, completely different from the pilum. Legionaries in the 3rd century began using hastae as well as an extremely long (3 metre or more) spear similar to the Macedonian sarissa.
Sling
The Roman military writer Vegetius states that all legionaries should be trained in using a sling, because it is a small weapon easy to carry, and ammunition in the form of stones can be found anywhere, so that if a group find themselves trapped on a hill for example, they can hold the enemy off at a distance until help arrives.
Sling ammunition was manufactured in the form of lead bullets called glandes ("acorns"), so that the slinger had consistent weight/shape for accuracy. These were often inscribed with insults directed at the enemy (such as Feri Pomp[eium] = Strike Pompey, or Pet[e] culum Octavia[ni] = Attack Octavian's asshole), and some had drilled holes so that they made a terrifying whistling sound when raining down on the enemy (pic below).
Slinging was performed with a single vertical swing, so that bullets could be discharged quickly in succession, and so that any stray shots would not injure your comrades either side of you.
The Roman military writer Vegetius states that all legionaries should be trained in using a sling, because it is a small weapon easy to carry, and ammunition in the form of stones can be found anywhere, so that if a group find themselves trapped on a hill for example, they can hold the enemy off at a distance until help arrives.
Sling ammunition was manufactured in the form of lead bullets called glandes ("acorns"), so that the slinger had consistent weight/shape for accuracy. These were often inscribed with insults directed at the enemy (such as Feri Pomp[eium] = Strike Pompey, or Pet[e] culum Octavia[ni] = Attack Octavian's asshole), and some had drilled holes so that they made a terrifying whistling sound when raining down on the enemy (pic below).
Slinging was performed with a single vertical swing, so that bullets could be discharged quickly in succession, and so that any stray shots would not injure your comrades either side of you.
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The sling as a weapon - resource article
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Plumbata
Plumbata are iron-tipped lead-weighted throwing-darts first used by the Greeks around 500 BC, but not commonly used by the Roman army until about the 3rd century AD. Each man carried five darts attached to the inside of his shield and threw them in succession as he made the charge at the enemy. |
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Manuballista
The Roman manuballista of 100 AD was a small handheld ballista somewhat like a crossbow. It was based on the Greek gastraphetes ('belly-releaser") of about 420 BC that was refined and described in several ancient texts.
The Roman manuballista of 100 AD was a small handheld ballista somewhat like a crossbow. It was based on the Greek gastraphetes ('belly-releaser") of about 420 BC that was refined and described in several ancient texts.
