The biggest thing this word was used for was, of course, fighting. It is a very light sword that is easy to operate, even for novices. When combined with a shield, it can easily become a very deadly tool. Sometimes it was dual-wielded with a larger sword or even a long spear. But the story of the Gladiator Spiculus is what makes it even more special. Adored by the crowds that attended the Gladiator Games, this sword was a personal favorite of the Roman Emperor Nero. Spiculus was handsomely rewarded for his fighting skills and received gifts and palaces from the emperor. Even when Nero tried to kill him when he learned that he would be sentenced to death, Spiculus managed to escape his fate. Since a longer blade was more challenging to draw from the right, soldiers carried their swords on their left hip. However, the cavalry remained to carry them lower on their right hip. In the 3rd century CE, a semispatha, often a cut-down spatha , came into use, suggesting the return of the short sword. The Early 19th-Century French Sword ( Source) A gladiator holding a Sica sword and a wooden shield in the other hand – Credits: Museum Replicas Limited The “ Spanish sword” of the Republican legionary, the gladius Hispaniensis was the earliest type of Roman short sword. It was the longest of the three blades, measuring between 64 and 69 centimeters long and around 4 to 5.5 centimeters wide. It had a narrow blade with a long point and a large pommel at the end of the hilt which served as a counterweight. 2. Mainz Gladius ( Source)

a b c d Quesada Sanz, F. "Gladius hispaniensis: an archaeological view from Iberia" (PDF) . Retrieved August 10, 2018. Because it had a recurved tip, it could easily cut the commonly used Roman wooden shields often wielded by gladiators in the arena. It could also be used to pull the shield away from the opponent, only to follow up with a deadly strike from the Sica or another weapon. Daily ActivitiesEmperors didn’t select who lived or died depending on which way their thumb was pointing. That’s just a myth. Gladiatorial fighting started in the 3rd century BCE at private events, but it developed into public games played in arenas. The Roman gladiators were prisoners, volunteers, or slaves who fought for entertainment. Repeated victories brought freedom to the slaves and social standing for the volunteers. If you want to shop a large selection of Celtic swords you have also come to the right place! Here you can find historical Celtic swords from the La Tene and Hallstatt period. design-wise, these swords are often decorated with spirals or with an anthropomorphic figure. The falcata is a Celtiberian sword with a curved blade.

Ross Cowan, Gladius Gallicus, an introduction to the Gallic-type swords used by the Romans prior to the adoption of the gladius Hispaniensis The Roman Legionary and His Equipment in The First Century AD: An Assessment of the findings of The Ermine Street Guard". Archived from the original on 2015-09-24 . Retrieved 2007-08-24. The Sica sword is a very short sword that could have been considered a dagger or knife by the ancient Romans. It is slightly shorter than the Roman Gladius and is nearly perfectly straight for the first two-thirds. After that, it curves very strongly, giving it a unique and unusual characteristic. BladePenrose, Jane (2008). Rome and Her Enemies: An Empire Created and Destroyed by War. Osprey Publishing. pp.121–122. ISBN 978-1-84603-336-0. The handle of the Sica sword is somewhat large, considering that the sword itself is not that big. It was usually made out of wood and could have been wrapped in leather or another material. It was often made smooth or with divots for the user’s fingers to offer a much firmer grip. The crowds weren’t just offered sword-fighting. The day would start with men, called venatores, fighting wild animals such as bears and lions. Then there would be public executions of criminals at noon, with the gladiator battles taking place in the afternoon. Gladiators (Latin for Swordsman) were armed combatants from the Roman Empire who entertained audiences in the amphitheatre, the most famous of which was the Colosseum in Rome. Some gladiators were Roman citizens who desired fame and glory but most were slaves or criminals. Gladiators symbolised Rome’s martial ethics in fighting and dying well and they were celebrated in both high and low art. There are 19 amphitheatres in Britain, some of the most famous and best preserved are at Chester, Caerleon and St. Albans.

The Romans believed that their short sword originated in Iberia, a region in Europe occupied by Portugal and Spain. Hence, the name “ gladius Hispaniensis ” suggests its Spanish origin. The Celtiberian ‘antenna’ swords, along with a Castilian La Tène sword, were likely the inspiration for the Roman short sword. Even ancient Greek writings from the father of history, Herodotus himself, talked about the Thracians and Illyrians and their very unique swords.

What you wore depended on where you came from

However, experts argue that calling the gladius ‘Spanish’ is inaccurate, as the Celtiberian warriors who used the prototype swords were linked to broader Celtic technological traditions of central and western Europe. More than that, the double-edged short swords with a long point had a long history even before the Romans arrived in Spain. Evolution of the Gladius Sword ( Source) Modern English words derived from gladius include gladiator ("swordsman") and gladiolus ("little sword", from the diminutive form of gladius), a flowering plant with sword-shaped leaves. Spartacus used a Sica sword as he was part of the Thraex, the ferocious gladiators that originated from Thracia. It is said that as soon as Spartacus entered gladiator school, he immediately made sure to get a Sica sword. He was well-skilled with it and made himself a fan favorite with his very deadly slashes and bloody fights. Conclusion Drawing the sword from the left would have endangered the soldier standing to the legionary’s immediate left. Scabbards were generally positioned on their right hip, in which the opening was above the waist and the pommel near-armpit level. It was often used as a one-handed sword, but sometimes it could be held with both hands, thanks to its abnormally long handle, for extra power and a stronger grip. Fighting & Warfare