Gladius

Евсеенков А.С.

Gladius or gladius (Latin: gladius) is a Roman short sword designed for thrusting attacks.

There is a version that the Romans adopted the gladius as their main close combat weapon from the inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula (presumably the Celts), modifying it to suit their own tactics of warfare. This type of sword was called Gladius Hispaniensis (Latin for "Spanish sword"). The word "gladius" itself is likely derived from the Celtic word "kladyos" ("sword"), although some historians believe that this term may also come from the Latin "clades" ("injury, wound") or "gladii" ("stem").

The stabbing form and short length of the gladius were determined by the inability to effectively deliver slashing strikes in a dense legionary formation. Outside of a tight infantry formation, the gladius was inferior to Celtic swords in many aspects. It was used by the Romans as the main type of weapon among infantry until the 3rd century, after which it was replaced by the spatha, which served as an intermediate option between the gladius and the long barbarian swords. This change was influenced by broader processes taking place in the Roman Empire, such as "barbarization" and changes in the military tactics of infantry. As a result, the spatha became the main sword of the Great Migrations period and transformed into the swords of the Vendel and Carolingian types.

Gladii were mainly used by representatives of the Roman army: legions, auxilia, and gladiators.

Types of gladius

Over a long period of time, the gladius did not remain unchanged; it was constantly modified in certain ways. Today, several types of ancient Roman swords are distinguished:

Gladius"Spanish" :

The earliest type of this weapon and the most common among finds. It has an overall length of about 75-85 cm, a blade length of 60-65 cm, a blade width of 5 cm, and a weight of about 900-1000 g. The blade has a characteristic leaf-shaped form with a curve. Period of use: 216 BCE - 20 BCE. The heaviest and longest gladius.

Gladius Mainz :

A sword with an elongated point and a slight waist of the blade; it has an overall length of about 65-70 cm, a blade length of 50-55 cm, a blade width of 7 cm, and a weight of about 800 g. This type of gladius is named after its first discovery in the vicinity of the German city of Mainz. Period of use: 13 BCE - early 2nd century CE.

Fulham Gladius :

Similar to the "Mainz" type, the main difference being a triangular point and a narrower blade. It has an overall length of about 65-70 cm, a blade length of 50-55 cm, a blade width of 6 cm, and a weight of about 700 g. The first specimens were found in Fulham, Great Britain. In terms of blade shape, it is an intermediate variant between the "Mainz" and "Pompeii" types. Often, this type of gladius is not considered separate and is considered a variation of the "Mainz" type. Period of use: 43 CE - 100 CE.

Gladius "Pompeii" :

A blade with parallel edges and a triangular point, very similar to another type of Roman sword called the spatha, but shorter in length. It has an overall length of about 60-65 cm, a blade length of 45-50 cm, a blade width of

Diagram of gladius types

Device

The components of a gladius can be distinguished as follows:

• Blade

• Hilt

• Pommel

• Guard

• Scabbard

Functional purpose of gladius elements - it is obvious and doesn't have any difficulties in understanding. Nevertheless, let's go through its construction.

The function of the guard, like in any other sword, is partial protection for the wrist, reinforcement of the sword's structure, and also a support for thrusting strikes against the opponent (which was the main technique), allowing the gladius to be quickly withdrawn for a repeated strike. The handle, of course, was used for gripping the sword.

It was assumed that the main function of the pommel was to shift the center of gravity towards the handle by means of an enlarged spherical top (counterbalance). This is commonly believed, however, the surviving pommels were made of wood or bone - relatively lightweight materials - and were not capable of significantly changing the position of the center of gravity. If such a task was indeed intended, the pommel should have been made of metal, for example. However, archaeological finds do not confirm this. So, most likely, the main function was to provide a firm grip on the gladius to prevent the hand from slipping down during a strike.

The blade of the gladius had a relatively wide cutting edge at the tip to enhance its thrusting capability. It was used for fighting in formation. While it was possible to slash with the gladius, cutting strikes were considered preliminary. It was believed that the opponent could only be killed with a strong thrusting strike, for which the gladius was designed.

Scabbard - an integral attribute of any gladius. It was used for storage and quick drawing of the sword in close formation, which is why legionaries wore it on the right shoulder. The scabbard was attached to the belt through stitched straps threaded through rings on the scabbard. Sometimes buckles were placed on the straps for easier putting on and taking off of the scabbard.

Gladii were mostly made of iron, but there are also mentions of bronze swords. As shown by the surviving examples of Roman swords, from the end of the 2nd century AD and especially in the 3rd century AD, gladii were already made of forged steel. The gladius was popular among the legionaries - the heavy infantry of Rome. The velites (light infantry of the Romans) used gladii only as auxiliary weapons. In the hands of skilled warriors, this sword delivered fast and deadly strikes, but its length allowed for close-quarters combat with the enemy. The most experienced legionaries were able to fence with it as skillfully as they could chop, cut, or thrust.

Reconstruction

This type of weapon is ideal for legionaries, praetorians, and auxiliaries. It is also the primary weapon for more advanced-ranking warriors, such as optios or centurions. However, for higher-ranking officers, such as legates, it would be more appropriate to use a parrus. It should also be noted that gladius is not suitable for cavalry soldiers - they used longer weapons, such as spathae. Apart from the Roman army, gladius is also well-suited for reconstructing gladiators. For safety reasons, blunting the weapon's edge and tip is permitted during reconstruction.

Related topics

Legionnaire, Pugio, Cingulum, Spatha, Centurion, Gladiators

Literature

• M. C. Bishop (2016). The Gladius: The Roman Short Sword (in Spanish). Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-14-728158-6-6.

• Flavius Vegetius Renatus (1996). Vegetius: Epitome of Military Science (in Spanish). Liverpool University Press. ISBN 978-08-532391-0-9.

• Livius, Titus. "The History of Rome, Vol. II". 7.10. Archived from the original on August 30, 2002. Retrieved 25 November 2010.

• Nicodemi, Walter; Mapelli, Carlo; Venturini, Roberto; Riva, Riccardo (2005). "Metallurgical Investigations on Two Sword Blades of 7th and 3rd Century B.C. Found in Central Italy". ISIJ International. 45 (9): 1358–1367. doi:10.2355/isijinternational.45.1358

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