ancient gladius

Hi Sydwad, and welcome to the forum.
Some gladii are wasp-waisted, some are not.
The older republic-time ones are (Types Mainz and Fulham), I think to have more weight and cutting power at the tip-end on a still short sword.
The later Pompeij Types were straight for better mass production.

Some machetes as well as the swords that Timo stated are like this also, and the style is commonly called a hatchet tip. The design puts more weight towards the tip for better cutting or hacking ability.

Sydwad... I think your question was why is the upper part of the Roman Gladius wide or wider than the base of the sword?

There were three styles of Roman Swords that were shaped like this. The Hispaniensis, the Mainz and the Fulham Gladius.
Each of these swords were created to do terrible damage to the enemy. The "waisted" or "Wasted" Shape of the blade was done so for a reason. I specialize in making these types of swords for Museums, Archeologists, Historians, Reenactor's and Collectors and try to stay as historically accurate as possible.

The Mainz Gladius for instance ranged from 19 1/2" to over 21" in blade length. That wide "Conversion" point was set back from the point/tip 6-7" and then "Waisted" or thinned in width before it widened again at the hilt. The same is true about the Fulham.

These blade we indeed made for "Thrusting" and were used coinciding with their Scutum (Shield). The edge of the shield was covered in brass or leather and was used to allow the Gladius to slide against the edge while thrusting. Legionaries would train for 6 months with their sword and shield, learning how to inflict as much damage on the body of their opponent. Ankle, inner calve, inner thigh, groin, abdominal, under ribcage, inner arm or armpit, and neck were their targets. Using the side of the shied to guide the blade up and down when possible.

The Mainz Gladius was 3" wide at the guard. Now, to explain the waisting of the sword and the wide area near the tip. These swords were designed to Kill. Then the point of the sword entered the body, it immediately opened up a hole a minimum of 2 1/2" wide to get it past the conversion point. That is a 2 1/2" minimum hole. However, once it passed the conversion point the Wound would close around the sword vertically as the blade continued entering the body. As the wound clung to the blade it allows the blade wi continue to shred the flesh, veins, vitals, etc. causing more than one cut... actually causing numerous cuts as the flesh kept closing around the blade and the thickness got wider swords the hilt. And slight turning of the blade from 12 o'clock to 3 o'clock would continue the cutting and the shredding of the body. leaving anything from a cut like this l to / to + or from a straight line to a "Plus" sign or "Cross." Now you have a 6" hole with spaghetti shreds. But that same blade, when thrust straight into the body then lifted up or down now easily leaves a wound 9" -14" long and disembowels your enemy.

Though it was made as a thrusting sword, it could also be used to slash, though that was more of a last resort. Josephus and other historians of the day wrote about not only the effectiveness of the sword in battle, but that Rome's enemies never experienced such a weapon on the battlefield before and how a legionary could stab his opponent three or more times with lightening speed causing wounds that would never heal, if in deed they could ever drag themselves off the battlefield. And how this sword could cut a man in two tom the neck to the waist leaving the head and one full arm totally severed.

This is a very wicked sword that Really made the Roman Empire the conquering force that it was for hundreds of years between the Hispaniensis around 200bc-to the Fulham Style the latter part of the first century ad until they converted to the Parallel straight sided double edged sword of the Pompeii style which was soon after changed over to the Spathe in the 2nd-3rd Century ad.

I hope this helps to understand why it was so wide near the tip. Also... the thickness of the blades were around 5.3mm at the hilt with a distal taper to about 3.6mm at the very tip. The tip was thick and strong and on the later Pompeii Blades has an even thicker reinforcement on the tip that was 3/4"-1" long.

In His Service and Yours...
--Patrick

Patrick, that is a terrific (and somewhat terrifying) description. Thank you!

Thanks, Patrick. That gives me a new respect for the sheer lethality of those weapons.

Welcome to the forum Rhema1313. This doesn’t do it? sbg-sword-forum.forums.net/thread/18656/quot-rules?page=1&scrollTo=608082.

rhema1313, did you get matters clarified? I'm still hoping to see pictures of your work

sbg-sword-forum.forums.net/board/63/sword-discussion

The sword making discussion board is the place to post stuff you've made. It's always great to see what people have made.

So basically... I can post pictures of Roman Swords and or Scabbards I have made in "Ancient" area under General Discussions?