What types of daggers were used during the late fourth and early fifth centuries? By that I mean around 375-425. Do we have any finds from the period of daggers?
All help is appreciated and awarded with a "Thank You"
P.S. This is going to be the first of many questions to come. I think I have kind of been an idiot over here for a while, and I want to change that by attaining more knowledge.
Well, I don't know as much about Late Roman Knives as Robert Wimmers does, but I can give you an overview:
The Late Romans didn't have a standardized "dagger." A lot of people had hunting knives, which would serve the purpose, and there is some evidence for the introduction of the Seax in Gaul during this period, but I would hesitate on actually using a Seax as part of your Late Roman military impression prior to 400 AD.
(02-09-2016, 10:07 PM)panairjdde Wrote: I don't know the name of this kind of daggers and where to find some more information of them, can anyone help me?
Note that these are modern reproductions, of course, but I know they are based on archaeological finds.
For more details I recommend: Ludwig Berger: Durchbrochene Messerfutteral-Beschläge (Thekenbeschläge) aus Augusta Raurica. Ein Beitrag zur provinzialrömischen Ornamentik (= Forschungen in Augst. 32). Römerstadt Augusta Raurica, Augst 2002
Note that these are 2nd/3rd century, so actually off topic for this thread.
Most "military burials" of the period just have a smallish, single-edged, utility knife associated with the body. There are a number of remains of short-swords/long daggers often termed "semispathae" after Vegetius' use of the term which might fit your requirements. They tend to have two-edged fullered or ribbed blades with an exaggeratedly triangular blade-shape, as can be seen here, right of centre:
(02-09-2016, 10:07 PM)panairjdde Wrote: I don't know the name of this kind of daggers and where to find some more information of them, can anyone help me?
Note that these are modern reproductions, of course, but I know they are based on archaeological finds.
For more details I recommend: Ludwig Berger: Durchbrochene Messerfutteral-Beschläge (Thekenbeschläge) aus Augusta Raurica. Ein Beitrag zur provinzialrömischen Ornamentik (= Forschungen in Augst. 32). Römerstadt Augusta Raurica, Augst 2002
Note that these are 2nd/3rd century, so actually off topic for this thread.
Hello Martin,
I found your reference, and I looked for dating. I found some pieces that might belong to the 4th century, GK 12, GK 34, GK 42, GK 43, GK 85(?), GK 88, GK 167, GK 168, GK 169, GK 206, GK 207. Are you referring to something else, or my German is so bad that I botched even Google Translate's translation?
(02-10-2016, 03:59 PM)Urselius Wrote: Most "military burials" of the period just have a smallish, single-edged, utility knife associated with the body. There are a number of remains of short-swords/long daggers often termed "semispathae" after Vegetius' use of the term which might fit your requirements. They tend to have two-edged fullered or ribbed blades with an exaggeratedly triangular blade-shape, as can be seen here, right of centre:
The hilts were obviously of organic materials and do not seem to have survived much.
Hello Usrselius,
thank you for the reference to the utility knife, I'll consider that too. The semispatha is something I am aware of, even if I did not know they came with that shape; is there a reference where I can look for the blade's size?
I think Southern and Dixon's book on the Late Roman Army has illustrations of the 'semi-spathae' blades with a scale. I think the one in the link illustration has a 40cm blade, this would make them quite like the Late Medieval/Renaissance 'cinqueda/cinquedea' in size and blade-shape.
I found your reference, and I looked for dating. I found some pieces that might belong to the 4th century, GK 12, GK 34, GK 42, GK 43, GK 85(?), GK 88, GK 167, GK 168, GK 169, GK 206, GK 207. Are you referring to something else, or my German is so bad that I botched even Google Translate's translation?
Hi - I checked back and yes, you are right. For the majority of those you list it says late 3rd/early or first half of 4th. 2 say likely 4th, one comes from an area dated over a prolonged period up to well into the 5th. One is 4th and east Germany (so traded outside the Empire). The text where it discusses dating and influences only speaks of the 2nd and 3rd, though. My guess is that this is where they actually belong, but it is well possible that they were - likely in ever smaller numbers - worn into the 4th century. Got it from my grandad, like. No real proof for that, but stylistic evidence and comparisons point to 2nd/3rd century in the author's opinion apparently.
