Gladius – The Historical Roman Sword

A Roman sword was commonly known as Gladius. Gladius is a Latin word that means “sword”. It was a very important weapon and was excessively used by the Roman warriors in all their major battles. It was basically a short sword that was skillfully used for close combats. Romans paid great attention to the construction of this sword and for that purpose they used high quality iron. The blade was made very hard and had a razor sharp edge.

Gladius commonly had a straight shape and was double-edged. The tip of the blade featured a sharp V-shape that was fiercely pointed. The short size and less weight of the Gladius made it an ideal sword to be used single handedly with great power projection. Romans mastered the technique of employing this sword and won many battles owing to its efficient use. It was mainly the weapon of foot soldiers who used it along a protective shield during wars. The small size of the sword allowed warriors to stand nearer during close combats. The soldiers used Gladius in a thrusting action that caused deep stabbing cuts to the opponent. These stabbing attacks of a Gladius were almost always lethal and gave a big advantage to the Roman army over the enemy.

A normal Roman legionary used to carry the Gladius scabbard on his right side while the officers and Centurions typically mounted the swords on their left. It was a sign that differentiated the centurions and leaders from the regular soldiers in a battlefield.

These swords were also significant owing to the fact that they were used by the famous Roman Gladiators. Throughout the empire, this sword was greatly associated with these brave entertainers who were basically the slaves of the ruler.

Today the replicas of Roman Gladius are widely available and are a treat for every sword enthusiast. They are finely crafted with authentic historic details and bear close resemblance to the original Roman Gladius.