Ancient Roman Swords

Many various weapons were used by ancient roman soldiers but ancient roman swords were arguably the most important weapon carried by a Roman soldier.

Soldiers wore a short sword, also know as the gladius. The Gladius was a smaller sword that was distinguished by its curved blade. This was the style of sword that Julius Caesar carried into battle. If you watch just about any movie on ancient Rome you will see the Gladius used by soldiers.

The short sword was made of iron and measured around 24 inches in length. It was a weapon that was used for closed combat and it is rightly considered to be a â€œthrusting swordâ€. Soldiers would keep these short bladed weapons in sheaths that hung from the left side of their bodies.

Sharp and carefully honed edges made the sword one of the fiercest weapons of ancient Rome. This weapon was jabbed into the enemy and deadly in the correct hands. There were two chief types of short sword that existed, the Pompeii and Mainz. Later the sword was adjusted and made greater in length so that it could be used riding horses.

In addition to the Gladius there was another popular sword that was used. This was called the Spanish sword, and it originated in Iberia. The powerful blade was long, sharply pointed and had a double edged design.