Gladius - Roman short sword faithfully reproduced.
Become a legionnaire ready for battle with the Gladius!
The carefully crafted short sword is made of glued solid beech wood and is elaborately painted. With its length of 53 cm, the gladius corresponds to the original fighting tool from Roman times. The sword is reinforced from the turned handle to the blade with a threaded metal rod, which provides the best stability in battle. This gladius for legionaries is a quality product from German manufacturing. Order your gladius now and discover with us also the matching accessories for your gladiator equipment!
- length 53cm
- real beech wood
- embedded metal rod for maximum strength
- German manufacture
Gladius - a small masterpiece of roman blacksmith art
As early as the 3rd and 2nd century BC, the gladius was used in warlike actions in Rome. It was most likely adopted by the Celtiberians during the Punic Wars between Rome and Carthage, which is why it was often called Gladius hispaniensis.
The gladius was one of the most important weapons of the legionaries and their auxiliaries, who often consisted of slaves. It was an offensive weapon with a blade about 9 cm wide, of 50 - 55 cm and a weight of 1.2 - 1.6 kg. It was carried on the right side of the body in a scabbard made of two wooden boards covered with leather. Later the blades became shorter and narrower. This affected the weight, the gladius then weighed only 1 kg and was more usable. Roman blacksmiths developed great skills in manufacturing. The blade was made of iron, the stabbing blade of bronze, the handle, usually provided with handle grooves, of bone and wood.
It was often richly decorated with applied ornaments in chased, stamped or pressed metal and an adornment for its wearer.
The Roman legionary traveled with heavy baggage
The job of a legionary was certainly not easy.
His luggage, which he had to carry on war campaigns, weighed almost 50 kg. Besides the gladius, he possessed, among other things, the scutum, a large rectangular shield, which was carried in a leather sheath for protection. Furthermore, the armor, usually a chain, rail, or scale armor, the pugio (a double-edged dagger), a helmet and a throwing spear, the pila. In addition to all these tools of war, he had to carry his personal belongings, such as clothes, cooking, and eating utensils, belts, oil lamp, comb, and a warm cloak that protected him from rain and served as a sleeping pad at night.
He had to cook and pay for his own food, as well as part of the small tent in which he slept with seven other soldiers.
The legion in which he fought was a hierarchical and tightly organized company of up to 11000 men at times ( auxiliary troops included ).
It was led by a staff of 11 officers, with other superiors in the small sub-groups. The superior of a hundred-man squad was the centurion. He was recognized by his transverse helmet bush, he also carried a gladius.
The Roman legionary tactics
Tactically, the gladius was used only after the attacks with the throwing spear. When the spears were stuck in the shields of the enemy army, and the soldiers were thus restricted in their freedom of movement, the Roman legionaries struck with the gladius.
A high quality replica of the Roman short sword
The 53 cm long gladius is made of glued solid beech wood and is elaborately painted.
The short sword corresponds to its original from Roman times, a continuous threaded metal rod from the turned handle to the tip of the sword, provides stability for role-playing games.
The beautiful Gladius reminds of the heyday of Roman culture more than two millennia ago, which became trend-setting for all European countries.
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