The Gladius

[Justin Blackford]

Hello, all!

I was just curious about something. Help me out, if you please.

I have a close friend who absolutely loves to study the history of the Roman Empire and their war tactics. I bought him a replica gladius for his birthday, and he loved it! But now, he is asking me(since I am a student of Western Martial Arts) how the gladius was wielded and if there are any treatises concerning it's use. I have yet to see any historical document on the use of the Roman gladius in battle or in duels(i.e. Gladiators).
Could anybody help me out on this?

Thanks.

Justin

[JeanryChandler]

I know there are some references to how to use the Gladius in Roman military manuals, though I'm not sure if the original manuals survive or if they are just referred to by later scholars. I have read that there are some specific concepts such as the emphasis of the thrust, the use of the shield to strike, and to thrust with the blade turned horizontally so as to have a better chance of penetrating between the ribs.

Of course the primary infantry weapon of the Legionaire was actually the pilum (armor piercing javelin), the gladius was actually a secondary weapon though still of great importance.

It is generally hard to seperate ROman military tactics from the individual fighting tactics, but I reccomend you contact Mattthew Amt of the 20th Legion, a major Roman Re-enactment group. You can find their website with a simple google search for the name "Legio XX".

Gladiators of course are a different matter entirely and fought based on stylized, almost ritualized interpretations of archaic fighting styles from Rome's ancient past, and did not use the same weapons or armor as the military.

Jeanry

[ksiajdn]

Depending on the model, you can use it mainly to thrust or to cut and thrust; the gladius can vary alot in it's dimensions (it can range from 55 cm to 80 cm, it seens).

[J.Amiel_Angeles]

The gladius was likely the primary weapon of the Roman soldier, given that he only carried two pila, which could not be retrieved. The legionnary also spent a considerable amount of time training in swordsmanship.

[Jay Vail]

The gladius was used primarily for thrusting (see Vegetius). This seems to have occurred around the side of the shield or over the top with the hand held in what rapier fencers call "prime". The target for such blows would be the face. There is a story about the death of a centurion in "The Civil Wars" in which he was killed by a thrust through the mouth so that the point came out the back of his neck. If the story is true, the man probably was killed by such a blow as I have described.

The gladius was also used for cutting, but this was most likely a secondary blow. There are numerous ancient artworks showing the weapon being used in both ways and Caesar's "The Civil War" recounts a time that a Roman standard bearer tried to stab Caesar with the butt of a standard and one of his bodyguards cut off the man's arm. I have a windlass gladius and I have test cut with both thrusts and cuts and the weapon performs very well in the cut.

[Gene Tausk]

Justin:

I'm on vacation, so this post will not be as detailed as I like. However, from my own (interpretation) of the gladius, I have found Vegetius' work to be helpful.

Unfortunately, there is no "fechtbuch" on how to use the weapon, so a lot simply has to be based on trial and error.

It is primarily a thrusting weapon and has excellent capabilities for this. However, I have split helms as well using sharpened replicas so do not ignore its cutting capabilities either. From my own interpretations, it is a sword that is designed to be used with a shield. It works well with a shield (scutum) and the two complement each other, which is what the Romans wanted.

I'll try and address this more when I get back.


------------------>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk
SFS
Director - Houston ARMA Southside Study Group

[Gene Tausk]

Jeanry:

You wrote:

"Gladiators of course are a different matter entirely and fought based on stylized, almost ritualized interpretations of archaic fighting styles from Rome's ancient past, and did not use the same weapons or armor as the military."

I must respectfully disagree on two points. First, although the fighting styles of the gladiators was probably more "flashy" than the military training and certainly based on individual, rather than massed combat, there was emphasis placed on efficiency, rather than stylization. Gladiators knew how to fight well and would have no problems facing trained legions (ex: Spartacan revolt).

Second, the gladius used by several of the Gladiator styles was the same as the gladius used by the legions: ex: dimarchareus (two-handed sword fighter) and secutor (chaser).


------------------------->>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk
SFS
Director - ARMA Southside Houston Study Group