Copper-Alloy Frame Pugio Scabbard

[Gaius_Calvus]

Avete,

Well, I know I am going to stir up the pot here, but I have been scratching my head over this for some time. :?

I have commissioned a frame pugio scabbard very similar to the Titelberg reconstruction found in this article:

L. Vanden Berghe, M. Simkins "Construction and Reconstruction of the Titelberg Dagger" JRMES, 12/13, 2001/2, 75-85

I got my inspiration from the excellent thread started by Cesar on "How to Build a Pugio." Laudes to you for that, frater. :wink:

I have read the article, and understand the original was made of iron. I have also consulted the bevy of experts out there -- Peronis among them (and laudes to you too, frater) on this topic and have been told, quite correctly, I am sure -- "stick with the iron frame, Edge."

But, I can't help asking the question: Why were many of the gladius scabbards from the same period made of copper-alloy frames, but iron was used for those of pugiones? Why could not a frame scabbard from this period also be of copper-alloy? If there were copper alloy-framed pugio scabbards, why are they not more common in the archeological record?

It baffles me. :roll:

All I can think of is the following.

1) Copper alloy (then and now, dog-gone it) was more expensive than iron, which was relatively cheap.

2) A copper alloy item such as this one was much less likely to be simply discarded when no longer useful, and thus salvaged for its metallic content.

3) For the same reason, an iron item is more likely to be discarded because it was cheaper to produce.

If this subject has already been beaten to death, mea culpa and somebody point me in the right direction to that old thread and I'll shut up about it and be happy with my iron-framed pugio scabbard. :lol:

Thanks, Brothers.

Edge